People ex rel. City of Albany v. Clute

42 How. Pr. 157, 1871 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 162
New York Supreme Court·Decided December 12, 1871·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

Ingalls, J.

The courts have obviously been unwilling to encourage a too frequent resort to this writ, doubtless in order to avoid any abuse of the process, and hence have established certain rules applicable thereto, which are firmly and rigidly adhered to. One of which is, that this process shall not be resorted to where there exists another adequate remedy (Ex-paHe Eeaudlacht, 2 Sill, 367). Judge Cowen remarks : u The writ of prohibition, like mandamus, quo warranto, or certiorari, ought not to issue where there are other remedies perfectly adequate. We have a discretion to grant or deny the writ, and it would, I apprehend in general, be a very good reason for denying it, that the party has a complete remedy in some other and more ordinary form.” (The People ex rel. N. Y. S. Co. agt. The Court of Common Pleas of New York, 43 Barb., 278; The People ex rel. Brownson agt. The Marine [159] Court of the City of New York, 36 Barb., 341; The People ex rel. Smith agt. Rumell, 29 How., 176).

We will proceed to determine whether the relators have any other remedy which is adequate, and which they should pursue. The statute, as amended, under which the proceedings in question are entertained by the county judge, provides as follows: u Review of proceedings under the acts hereby amended, shall be by certiorari, and no writ of certiorari shall be allowed unless said writ shall be allowed within sixty days after the last publication of notice of the judge’s final determination, as provided in section 2 of this act, and when such judgment is so entered prior to the passage of this act, unless said writ is allowed within sixty days after the passage of this act. On the return of the certiorari, the court out of which the same issued, shall proceed to consider the matters brought up thereby, and shall review all questions of law and of fact determined for or against either party by the county judge. And the said courts, or court of appeals, in appeals now pending and in all future proceedings, may reverse, affirm, or modify, in all questions of law or fact, his final determination, or may remand the whole matter back to said county judge, to be again heard and determined on by him. ' And it may, by order, direct that he proceed therein de novo, in the same manner and with the same effect as if he had taken no action thereon; or, it may by such order specify how and in what particulars he shall hear and determine the same, on such remanding the same. Applications for certiorari shall be on notice.”

It is apparent, that the legislature intended to provide a complete mode of reviewing such proceedings, both in regard to the law and the facts. The party aggrieved is entitled, by said statute, to a review as well in the court of appeals as in the supreme court, of the questions of fact and of law. So we perceive, that the remedy is adequate to redress any wrong or correct any error which may occur in the proceedings. The affidavits read upon this motion disclose the fact,- that [160] forty-five or fifty witnesses have already been examined before the county judge on behalf of the petitioners, and upon the argument of this motion, it was stated by one of the counsel, that the evidence on' the part of the petitioners is nearly concluded, leaving substantially only such evidence as their opponents desire to produce. It further appeal’s, that the official term of said judge expires on the 31st instant, and another person is elected to succeed him in said office ; and it is insisted, that serious embarrassment will be occasioned by a suspension of the proceedings until the conclusion of the term of office of said judge, as it is at least possible, that all the evidence will be required to be retaken before another officer. These are considerations proper to be entertained, so far at least as they bear upon the exercise of discretion in determining whether the writ should pe continued. To jusify -a departure from an ordinary and complete remedy, and the adoption of one which may be regarded somewhat extraordinary, there should exist a reason therefor beyond the mere fact, that it is possible, or even probable, that the ordinary remedy may be more expensive. A proper degree of respect for a tribunal, whose proceedings are sought to be arrested, should always induce reasonable caution in exercising the authority invoked in this matter.

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People ex rel. City of Albany v. Clute, 42 How. Pr. 157, 1871 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 162 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1871).

42 How. Pr. 157 (People ex rel. City of Albany v. Clute) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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