Pine v. Leavitt

445 P.2d 942, 84 Nev. 507, 1968 Nev. LEXIS 397
CourtNevada Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 5, 1968
Docket5417
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 445 P.2d 942 (Pine v. Leavitt) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nevada Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pine v. Leavitt, 445 P.2d 942, 84 Nev. 507, 1968 Nev. LEXIS 397 (Neb. 1968).

Opinions

[508]*508OPINION

By the Court,

Batjer, J.:

Upon a motion by the respondent, Jack K. Leavitt, the trial court granted summary judgment and declared that NRS [509]*509625.180 through 625.210 inclusive, and NRS 625.520, were void and unconstitutional on the grounds that they are an illegal delegation of legislative authority.

The lower court further ordered that the appellants be forever restrained and enjoined from classifying the respondent or any others similarly situated into any branch or branches of engineering, and prohibited the printing, publishing and distributing of a roster of professional engineers which classified members into branches of engineering. The order for summary judgment and judgment also required appellants to issue respondent and others similarly situated, a registration card showing the respondent to be entitled to practice the profession of professional engineering without limitations as to any class or branch of the profession.

The respondent was graduated from Heald Engineering College in September of 1949. On October 5, 1951, he took and passed the Nevada engineer-in-training test. On July 7, 1953, he took the Nevada land surveyor examination. He passed only part “A” of that test. On October 19, 1953, he took and passed part “B” of the land surveyor examination. On November 16, 1953, he was approved as a registered land surveyor and issued a certificate. The respondent’s title on this first certificate was phrased “Professional Engineer-Land Surveyor.”

In 1961 the legislature amended the statute governing the licensing of land surveyors so as to expressly exclude land surveying from the profession of engineering.1 Prior to this amendment, land surveyors had been a lesser category of “engineers” and were excluded from that status only by implication.2

The record shows that the respondent continued to be certified as a “Professional Engineer-Land Surveyor” until 1965. In 1966 he was issued a certificate which bore only the title “Land Surveyor.”

On April 14, 1967, the respondent filed suit against the appellants requesting: (1) that the board be enjoined from classifying him as anything other than a professional engineer; (2) that the board be enjoined from publishing a roster of professional engineers with listings according to the different branches of engineering; (3) that NRS 625.180-625.210 and NRS 625.520 be declared unconstitutional; and (4) that the board be required to “return” him to the status of professional engineer without limitation as to field of practice.

[510]*510The appellants answered the respondent’s complaint, and on June 16, 1967, the respondent moved for a judgment on the pleadings, or in the alternative, a summary judgment.

On July 21, 1967, the lower court granted Leavitt’s motion for summary judgment. This appeal is taken from that order and judgment. As assignments of error the appellants claim that the lower court erred when it:

(1) Declared NRS 625.180 through 625.210 and NRS 625.520, unconstitutional.

(2) Enjoined the appellants from printing, publishing and distributing a roster of professional engineers that lists any classification into branches of engineering.

(3) Directed the appellants to issue the respondent and all others similarly situated, a registration showing their entitlement to practice the profession of professional engineer without limitation.

(4) Entered its order for summary judgment.

The question of the constitutionality of the challenged statutes must be considered first.

The summary judgment ordered by the trial court declared five separate statutory sections unconstitutional — NRS 625.180 to 625.210 inclusive, and NRS 625.520.

NRS 625.180 lists, in detail, the qualifications necessary for admission to the ranks of professional engineering. Although the phrase “satisfactory to the board” is used, the content of the statute is clear and unambiguous. NRS 625.190 requires that the board hold examinations twice a year and determine, from the results, in which branch of engineering the applicant is qualified. NRS 625.200 delineates the scope of the examinations, the manner in which they are to be given, and what shall constitute a passing grade. NRS 625.210 simply directs that the board award certificates to all those meeting the requirements of the chapter. NRS 625.520 provides the penalties to be inflicted upon those who practice engineering unlawfully.

The respondent argues that the discretion vested in the board, found in phrasing such as “satisfactory to the board,” “approved by the board” and “as determined by the board,” is so unfettered as to render the statutes unconstitutional as an undue delegation of legislative authority.

The basic test used to determine what powers can be lawfully delegated by the legislature, was first and best enunciated in Field v. Clark, 143 U.S. 649 (1892), wherein it is said, “the true distinction is between the delegation of power to make the law, which necessarily involves a discretion as to what it shall [511]*511be, and conferring authority or discretion as to its execution, to be exercised in pursuance of the law. The first cannot be done; to the latter no valid objection can be made.” In the case of Douglas v. Noble, 261 U.S. 165 (1923), Mr. Justice Brandéis, speaking for the United States Supreme Court, said:

“The statute provides that the examination shall be before a board of practicing dentists, that the applicant must be a graduate of a reputable dental school, and that he must be of good moral character. Thus, the general standard of fitness and the character and scope of the examination are clearly indicated. Whether the applicant possesses the qualifications inherent in that standard is a question of fact.

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Pine v. Leavitt
445 P.2d 942 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1968)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
445 P.2d 942, 84 Nev. 507, 1968 Nev. LEXIS 397, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pine-v-leavitt-nev-1968.