Mendiola v. Graham

10 P.2d 911, 139 Or. 592, 1932 Ore. LEXIS 171
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 16, 1932
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 10 P.2d 911 (Mendiola v. Graham) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mendiola v. Graham, 10 P.2d 911, 139 Or. 592, 1932 Ore. LEXIS 171 (Or. 1932).

Opinion

CAMPBELL, J.

Plaintiff John Mendiola filed his complaint in the circuit court alleging that he is a citizen of the United States and a resident of the state of Idaho; that he owned certain sheep, cattle and horses that he had been accustomed to graze on the public domain of the state of Oregon. He complains that the Oregon law, which was chapter 160 of the 1923 session of the Legislature of the. state of Oregon, as amended by chapter 138 of the laws of 1927, now being §§ 20-2101 to 20-2111, inclusive, Oregon Code 1930, is unconstitutional and void.

Audrey Ward filed a suit in the circuit court alleging that he is a citizen of the United States and a resident of the state of Oregon and that he owns certain livestock that he had been accustomed to graze on the public domain in Malheur county, Oregon, and intended to continue doing so. He also alleges that §§ 20-2101 to 20-2111, inclusive, Oregon Code 1930, are unconstitutional and void.

D. P. Eraser brought suit against the same parties alleging that he is a citizen of the United States and a resident of the state of Oregon; that he is the owner of certain livestock within the state of Oregon and that he intended to graze the same on the public domain in Malheur county, Oregon. He also alleges that §§ 20-2101 to 20-2111 inclusive of the Oregon Code 1930 are unconstitutional and void and that all the proceedings had thereunder are also void. To each of these complaints a demurrer was filed on the ground of lack of jurisdiction of the court, and that the complaint did not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of suit. *595 Each of the demurrers were sustained. The respective plaintiffs declining to plead further, a decree of dismissal was entered. Plaintiffs appeal.

By permission of this court the cases were consolidated and presented here as one case. As the pleadings now stand the only question presented is the constitutionality of the law.

The Legislature of the state of Oregon, at its session in 1928, passed an act which is commonly known as the Oregon Grazing Law.

Section 1 of the act, now § 20-2101 of the Oregon Code 1930, provides that the county judge, the county commissioners, together with the county stock inspector, shall constitute the county grazing hoard. This hoard, when petitioned by twenty freeholders residing within the proposed district, may establish a grazing district, and on like petition may in its discretion change, divide or abolish such district on giving notice as therein provided.

Section 2, § 20-2102, provides that when a grazing district is established the county clerk shall call an election on petition of twenty freeholders, residents of said district, and submit to the voters of said district the question of licensing the grazing of stock in said district. The election shall be conducted under the general laws, except as to the form of ballot. The county court shall canvass the vote and if the election results in favor of the license system, the county grazing board shall meet within ten days thereafter and make an order declaring the result of said election, and absolutely prohibit the “grazing of any livestock off the premises” of the owner or keeper within the grazing district without a license from the county grazing board. That sixty days after notice of said order *596 it shall he unlawful to herd or “graze livestock off the lands of their owner” without a license and provides a penalty for each offense.

Section 3, § 20-2103, provides for a classification of the users of the range by the county grazing board as follows:

(a) Class 1, bona fide owners of livestock who reside within the grazing district and who shall be given preference for grazing permits for livestock.

(b) Class 2, bona fide owners of livestock who reside within the state of Oregon outside the grazing district, who shall have been users of the range prior to the organization of the grazing district, and who shall only be granted permits to graze livestock, if any grazing facilities remain after granting permits to all class 1 users who may make application therefor.

(e) Class 3, transient and nonresident 'owners, of livestock who shall be granted permits to graze livestock only when grazing facilities are available in such grazing districts after granting grazing permits to all class 1 and class 2 owners who make application therefor.

Section 4 as amended by Laws 1927, § 20-2104, provides that any livestock owner wishing a license to “graze livestock off his premises” shall file with the county clerk of the county containing the restricted district a petition addressed to the county grazing-board, and pay a fee of $5 (declared to be a reasonable sum for administering the act) for such grazing-privileges. The county grazing board, together with the advisory board and the county assessor, shall thereupon investigate the available grazing in the district, as well as the grazing requirements of class 1 which *597 class shall be issued licenses for “grazing their livestock' off their premises” for the remainder of the calendar year.

The county court shall issue licenses for grazing-livestock to the owners classified as class 2 and class 3 only to the extent that it finds there is available grazing for said classes in excess of the reasonable requirements of class 1. It further provides that when a majority of the freeholders in one or more precincts within the grazing district shall petition the county court requesting that an election be held to determine whether all the livestock in class 2 and class 3 be excluded from such precincts, the county clerk shall forthwith give notice of such election at which said question shall be submitted to the voters. If the result of the election is favorable to the exclusion of all such livestock, then the county grazing board shall within ten days cancel all grazing licenses which have been issued to said classes and enter an order absolutely prohibiting the owner from grazing such livestock within such precinct.

Section 5, § 20-2105, provides for an appeal to the circuit court from any action of the county grazing-board with reference to granting, rescinding or modifying any license issued by said board.

Section 6, § 20-2106, provides for the selection by the freeholders of the district of three of the resident freeholders as an advisory board to the county grazing-board.

Section 7, § 20-2107, provides that grazing permits shall not be issued by the county grazing board without notice to, and hearing given to the advisory board. This board shall also report to the county grazing-board the condition and amount of grazing land available and shall also advise the county grazing board in *598 reference to increase or decrease of the number of stock allowed in any year, the division of the range between the different classes of stock, and the different classes of users or the adoption of special local rules.

Section 8, § 20-2108, provides that the act shall be ineffective until approved by the voters of the county.

Section 9, § 20-2109, provides as to the method and manner of making the act effective by election.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
10 P.2d 911, 139 Or. 592, 1932 Ore. LEXIS 171, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mendiola-v-graham-or-1932.