Michael v. Town of Logan

73 N.W.2d 714, 247 Iowa 574, 1955 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 453
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedDecember 13, 1955
Docket48876
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 73 N.W.2d 714 (Michael v. Town of Logan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Michael v. Town of Logan, 73 N.W.2d 714, 247 Iowa 574, 1955 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 453 (iowa 1955).

Opinion

Garfield, J.

-The town council of Logan, without notice to plaintiff, canceled her class “B” beer permit on the grounds she sold beer to a minor and kept liquor in her tavern in violation of law and has been guilty of conduct inimical to the carrying out of the intent and purposes of the beer laws, chapter 124, Code, 1954. The council also fixed time of hearing before it on the forfeiture of her bond and directed notice thereof be served on plaintiff and the surety on her bond. Plaintiff then commenced this certiorari action in the district court under rules 306 et seq., Rules of Civil Procedure, claiming the council acted illegally.

The action was submitted on the pleadings and return to the writ — -a transcript of the proceedings before the council. The writ was sustained. The town and its council have appealed to us.

*576 The petition for the writ alleged the council acted illegally in revoking plaintiff’s permit “in that no notice of hearing on said matter was given plaintiff as required by section 124.40, Code, 1954” and there was insufficient evidence plaintiff had violated any provision of Code chapter 124. After plaintiff received notice of the hearing on the forfeiture of her bond she amended her petition by alleging “there is no provision of law for the revocation of plaintiff’s permit and forfeiture of her bond except section 124.40” and “the council was without jurisdiction to revoke plaintiff’s permit and forfeit her bond without notice to plaintiff and her surety of a hearing on both the revocation and bond, forfeiture as one proceeding.”

Defendants’ answer alleged they had jurisdiction and authority under sections 124.20, 124.30 and 124.34 to revoke plaintiff’s license without notice to her and without hearing and they proceeded in accordance with said statutes in so doing. Also that defendants have jurisdiction and authority under section 124.40 to forfeit plaintiff’s bond upon notice and hearing and their proceedings for bond forfeiture were in accordance with said section.

In its decision the trial court said the controlling question, as counsel agreed was whether the council’s revocation of plaintiff’s permit was illegal and void because it did not first provide for notice to plaintiff and hearing on said matter. The court held that while sections 124.20, 124.30 and 124.34 provide certain violations of law constitute mandatory grounds for revocation of a permit, the guilt of the permit holder with respect to such violations must first be “established in some legal manner” and since this was not done here said statutes afforded the council no authority to revoke plaintiff’s permit without notice and hearing. Also that under the facts here the provisions of section 124.40 for revocation of permit and forfeiture of bond on notice and hearing were applicable, apparently to the exclusion of other statutes.

The transcript of proceedings before the council shows: The county sheriff appeared before it at a regular meeting and stated he had received numerous complaints concerning violations of the beer laws by plaintiff, several complaints were that *577 beer was sold to intoxicated persons, several were that liquor was kept and sold on the premises, the sheriff observed a pitcher of whiskey behind the bar at plaintiff’s tavern about five weeks previously. A special agent for the state permit board appeared and said his office had received complaints concerning plaintiff’s tavern, he observed a minor purchase a glass of beer in the tavern one week previously and the boy made an affidavit to such effect which was then filed with the council. The night marshal of Logan appeared and stated he had received complaints plaintiff was keeping and selling hard liquor and selling beer to intoxicated persons in her tavern. Also that he observed the minor referred to by the special agent execute, the affidavit saying he had purchased beer in plaintiff’s tavern. The mayor also stated the affidavit had been executed in his (mayor’s) presence.

Following this showing the council unanimously adopted a resolution to cancel plaintiff’s permit and directed the town marshals to take it up and return it for cancellation. As stated, the council then by unanimous vote fixed a time (one week later) and place (council chamber) of hearing upon the forfeiture of plaintiff’s bond and directed that plaintiff and her surety be notified thereof. After such notice was served the trial court stayed further proceedings on the bond forfeiture.

A license or permit (the statutes use both words) to sell beer in Iowa is a privilege granted by the State and in no sense a property right. When one obtains such a permit he does so subject to the statutory provisions under which it was issued. And if such statutes say or fairly imply the permit may be revoked without notice or hearing, the holder cannot be heard to complain if he is given none. Walker v. City of Clinton (Thompson, J.) 244 Iowa 1099, 1103, 59 N.W.2d 785, 787, and citations. See also Cleveland v. Rice County, 238 Minn. 180, 185, 56 N.W.2d 641, 644.

Chapter 124, Code, 1954, provides for issuance and revocation of beer permits. Section 124.1 makes it unlawful to manufacture for sale or sell beer unless a permit is. first obtained. Sections 124.20, 124.30, 124.34 and 124.40 all provide for revocation of permits. They are too long, and it is unnecessary, to quote them here in full.

*578 Section 124.20 provides in part it shall be unlawful to sell beer to any minor and a violation of this provision by any permit holder or any of his employees “shall be a mandatory ground for revocation of said permit * * *.”

Section 124.30 states in part, “If a permit holder * * * is convicted of a sale of beer contrary to the provisions of this chapter or is, convicted of bootlegging, or * * * shall be guilty of the violation of this chapter * * * his permit shall be revoked * * *.” (Italics ours.)

Section 124.34 confers upon cities, towns and boards of supervisors the broadest power to revoke permits that is found in chapter 124. So far as pertinent here it provides they shall have power “to revoke any permit issued under their authority for a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, * * * or for any cause which, in the judgment of the governing body, may be inimical to or prevent the carrying out of the intent and purposes of this chapter.”

There is no provision in 124.20, 124.30 or 124.34 for notice to the permit holder or hearing before the permit may be revoked.

Section 124.40, under which plaintiff contends and the trial court held the council was bound to proceed, states that ten or more citizens may join in the filing, and it shall be the duty of all peace officers to file, with the board or council which granted the license, a complaint in writing, when they have knowledge of any violation of chapter 124 by any license holder, setting forth the alleged acts of violation with reasonable accuracy. When such complaint is filed the board or council shall fix a date for hearing thereon and cause notice thereof to be served on the permit holder and the surety on his bond.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
73 N.W.2d 714, 247 Iowa 574, 1955 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 453, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/michael-v-town-of-logan-iowa-1955.