Montgomery v. City of West Linn

528 P.2d 1085, 19 Or. App. 661, 1974 Ore. App. LEXIS 830
Court of Appeals of Oregon·Decided December 9, 1974·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

THORNTON, J.

These are consolidated appeals by respondents City of West Linn and its Municipal Court-from a decision of the Clackamas County Circuit Court which allowed separate writs of prohibition against the city’s municipal court. Each writ prohibited the city court from proceeding with the prosecution of each of the petitioners on charges involving the operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, in violation of municipal ordinance.

The City demurred to each petition on various of the following grounds:

(1) Failure to state facts sufficient to warrant issuance of the writ;

(2) Failure to allege that petitioner had made [663]*663timely objection in the municipal court regarding the lack of opportunity for voir dire;

(3) Petitioner was dilatory in commencing prohibition proceedings.

On appeal the City assigns as error the overruling of its demurrers to the petitions.

Circuit Court Judge Jacobs by memorandum opinion overruled respondents’ demurrer on the basis that § 6 of West Linn City Ordinance No. 882 was invalid in that it failed to provide for voir dire, and thus deprived respondents of jurisdiction over petitioners. Orders were subsequently executed confirming the . trial court’s memorandum opinion. From these orders respondents have appealed.

The circuit court held that the use of the writ of prohibition was a proper method to determine whether the municipal court was without jurisdiction to proceed with the trial of petitioners. It also held that the municipal court lacked such jurisdiction because the ordinance failed to provide the respondents with the right to conduct voir dire examination of prospective jurors; and that irreparable injury to petitioners would result if petitioners were required to stand trial, then challenge the ordinance on appeal. These rulings are challenged by respondents who contend that the same are contrary to law.

The main thrust of petitioners’ attack is that Ordinance No. 882

Montgomery v. City of West Linn, 528 P.2d 1085, 19 Or. App. 661, 1974 Ore. App. LEXIS 830 (Or. Ct. App. 1974).

528 P.2d 1085 (Montgomery v. City of West Linn) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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