Morris v. Louisiana Board of Alcoholic Beverage Control

57 So. 2d 593, 1952 La. App. LEXIS 494
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 17, 1952
DocketNo. 19889
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 57 So. 2d 593 (Morris v. Louisiana Board of Alcoholic Beverage Control) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Morris v. Louisiana Board of Alcoholic Beverage Control, 57 So. 2d 593, 1952 La. App. LEXIS 494 (La. Ct. App. 1952).

Opinion

JANVIER, Judge.

The Louisiana Board of Alcoholic Beverage Control has appealed from a judgment of the Civil District Court of the Parish of Orleans under which it is ordered to issue to petitioner, Levet Clarence Morris, a liquor retailer’s permit for the year 1951 to sell alcoholic beverages at retail on the premises known as the Cypress Room, located at 1132 South Carrollton Avenue, in New Orleans, and prohibiting the said Board, its officers, agents and employees, or any one of them, from interfering with petitioner in the carrying on of his retail liquor business at that address.

The litigation was initiated by Morris as an appeal to the District Court from a decision of the Board denying him the necessary permit. The petitioner not only prayed that the said Board be ordered to issue the permit but also prayed for a restraining order to be followed by a temporary injunction and, in due course, by a permanent injunction enjoining the said Board from any interference with the operation by petitioner of his retail liquor business at the said location.

In the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans there was judgment in favor of Morris, ordering the said Board to issue the said permit and, as we have already said, enjoining the said Board, its officers, agents and employees from interfering with said Morris in the operation of his retail liquor business.

[595]*595The district judge rendered full and complete reasons for the judgment rendered and for the granting of the injunction, and’ we now set them forth in full.

“The plaintiff institutes this proceeding as an appeal from a decision of the defendant Board denying him a retail liquor permit for the year 1951, to sell alcoholic beverages at retail at the Cypress Room, 1132 South Carrollton Avenue in New Orleans. The petitioner challenges the constitutionality of certain provisions of Chapter 1, [LS A — ]R.S. Title 26 which deny to this court the right to enjoin the defendant from interfering with -his business by granting either a temporary, preliminary or final injunction, or otherwise interfering with the action of the defendant Board until the final conclusion of the case.

“At the outset, this court concludes and holds that as the challenged provisions of the statute seek to deny to the District Courts the right to enjoin its actions if found to be unlawful, they are in direct contravention of Article I, Section 6; Article I, Section 2; and Article VII, Section 2, of the Louisiana Constitution of 1921, which provide that the Courts shall always be open to every person for the redress of injury done to him in his rights, lands, goods, person or reputation, and shall have adequate remedy by due process of law; and that the District Courts have the right to issue all writs, including injunction and mandamus, that may be necessary in 'the aid of their jurisdiction. While the statute involved provides for a review by the District Court (which is merely confirmatory of the constitutional right), it seeks to restrict the Court in its jurisdiction over the Board to prevent irreparable injury. Accordingly, the provisions of the statute seeking in any manner to reduce or restrict this Court’s jurisdiction to grant injunctive relief are unconstitutional, null and void. See [216 La. 148] 43 So.2d 248, [14 A.L.R.2d 680] Schwegmann v. La. Bd. of Alcoholic Beverage Control.”

At this point we interpolate that in the cited case the Supreme Court did not pass upon the constitutionality of that provision of the statute, though the district judge from whose judgment the appeal had been taken did hold that provision to be uncon-stititional.

“In considering the relief sought by the petitioner, it is necessary first to consider the City ordinances and the State statutes governing the issuance of liquor licenses.

“The action of a licensing board, after a full hearing, is entitled to considerable weight, and is not to be disturbed unless manifestly erroneous, arbitrary or capricious. The defendant Board in this case gave a full hearing and reached its conclusion to deny to petitioner a retail liquor license without giving any reasons, except the conclusion that the petitioner’s application should be denied. This action of the Board is dated September 7, 1951.

“The premises in question have been operated continuously as a restaurant and bar from 1942 to the time of the present application, though under different management' and licensees. Petitioner purchased the business in July, 1951.

“The Board contends that the operation of a barroom violates the City ordinance prohibiting such establishments within 300 feet of a church, etc. It is conceded that the premises in question are only about 150 feet, more or less, from a Catholic church and school.

“Original ordinance No. 16221 C.C.S., approved May 9, 1945, and amended by ordinance No. 16425, approved March 25, 1946, provides: ‘it shall be unlawful for any person * * * to set up or establish any bar, barroom, etc. — or any similar place * * * where intoxicating liquors, wines, beers or other alcoholic beverages are sold for consumption on the premises * * * within three hundred feet (300') walking distance from any church, school * * * except upon the written consent of not less than seventy (70%) per cent of the owners of real property situated within three hundred feet (300) walking distance from said church, convent * * *.’

“Section 3 of the City ordinance provides that whenever any place or premises which were being used as of May, 1945, for the purposes outlined in section quoted above, [596]*596shall cease to be used for a continuous period of six months it shall then be unlawful to re-establish the premises for the original purposes without the written consent of 70% of the property owners within 300 feet of the church, etc.

“The principal facts have been stipulated as follows:

“A. That beer permits were regularly issued by the City of New Orleans and State of Louisiana to the respective per-mittees occupying and conducting the business located at 1132 South Carrollton Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana, for several years prior to May 9, 1945 and up to and including the year 1951.

“B. That Retail Liquor Permits have been issued by the City of New Orleans and State of Louisiana from July 5, 1945 to the respective permittees occupying and conducting the business located at 1132 South Carrollton Avenue up to and including the year 1951 save and except the 1951 Liquor Retail Permit of the State of Louisiana, which is the subject of this suit.

“C. That the premises 1132 South Car-rollton Avenue have been continuously used for the purpose of a bar, barroom, saloon, cocktail lounge, etc. where intoxicating liquor, wine, beer or any of them has been sold since the enactment of City Ordinance No. 16221 C.C.S. on May 9, 1945 and has not been closed for any continuous period of six months as specified by said Ordinance.

“D. That the petitioner or applicant for the license has otherwise complied with all provisions of the law and has committed no violation or moral turpitude that would warrant the refusal of the license to him for the year 1951, all as set forth in [LSA-] R.S. 26:79-75-86-88.

“From the above stipulation of facts and the transcript of the hearing before the defendant Board, it is clear that the applicant meets the qualifications for a retail liquor permit as set forth in [LSA-] R.S. 26:79.

“[LSA-]R.S.

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Allen v. Louisiana Board of Alcoholic Beverage Control
141 So. 2d 680 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1962)
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84 So. 2d 727 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1955)

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Bluebook (online)
57 So. 2d 593, 1952 La. App. LEXIS 494, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/morris-v-louisiana-board-of-alcoholic-beverage-control-lactapp-1952.