State Ex Rel. Young v. Niblack

99 N.E.2d 839, 229 Ind. 596, 1951 Ind. LEXIS 194
Indiana Supreme Court·Decided July 25, 1951·No. 28,814·Published·Cited by 30 cases

Opinions

Emmert, J.

This is an original action for an alternative writ of mandamus against the Superior Court of Marion County, Room One, and John L. Niblack, as judge thereof, to compel the granting of an affidavit for change of venue from the county. This is the second time this phase of this controversy has been considered by this court. In State on the Relation of Wilbur Young, etc. v. John L. Niblack (1951), 229 Ind. 509, 99 N. E. 2d 252, we held the trial court properly denied an affidavit for change of venue from the county, which was defective by reason of noncompli[600]*600anee with the statute on change of venue from the county. Section 2-1401, Burns’ 1946 Replacement.

The action in the trial court was brought by the State of Indiana on the Relation of the School City of Gary, Lake County, Indiana, For And On Behalf Of Said School Corporation and All Other School Corporations similarly situated, against Wilbur Young, As State Superintendent of Public Instruction of the State of Indiana; Wilbur Young, John J. Maehling, Herman B Wells, Ida L. Huntington, Charles E. Rochelle, Yerne Crawford Freeman, Alfred C. Senour, as and constituting the Commission on General Education of the Indiana State Board of Education; Henry F. Schricker, Frank T. Millis, William L. Fortune, as and constituting the State Board of Finance of the State of Indiana; Frank T. Millis, as Auditor of the State of Indiana; State Board of Finance of the State of Indiana; and the Commission on General Education of the Indiana State Board of Education, for a declaratory judgment in which the plaintiff contended that Ch. 217 of the 1951 Acts suspended certain provisions of Ch. 247 of the 1949 Acts with reference to the distribution of $58,000,000 to the various school corporations of the state. Other allegations of the complaint sought a construction of Ch. 281 of the 1940 Acts as amended by Ch. 293 of the Acts of 1951. It is not necessary to discuss the construction of any of these acts as they might affect the distribution of money from the State School Tuition Fund, and notice of the acts is taken here only for the purpose of the decision on the issue now presented as to the right by any of the relators in this original action to a change of venue from the county.

On June 13th following our opinion in State on the Relation of Wilbur Young, etc. v. Niblack, Judge, supra, “Wilbur Young, in the following capacities namely, [601]*601individually, State Superintendent of Public Instruction of the State of Indiana and as a member of the Commission on General Education of the Indiana State Board of Education,” by his attorney Leo L. Kriner, filed an affidavit for change of venue from the county for the reason “that an odium attaches to said defendant and to his defense therein, on account of local prejudice in Marion County, Indiana.” The statement of this affidavit as to the ground for change complies with the statute. Section 2-1401, Burns’ 1946 Replacement.

The certified copies of the records of the trial court disclose that the Attorney General objected to the appearance of Leo L. Kriner as attorney for Wilbur Young in any capacity, and objected to the granting of the change of venue. The trial court denied the change of venue from the county, and struck out the appearance of Kriner as attorney for Young in any capacity.

“The character in which any one is made a party to an action is determined from the allegations in the complaint . . . .” Watson v. Burnett (1939), 216 Ind. 216, 226, 23 N. E. 2d 420, 425. Wilbur Young, individually, is not a party to the proceedings in the trial court. “Under our statute and decisions the venue may be changed in civil actions only upon application of a party thereto.” State ex rel. Kist v. Ball (1945), 223 Ind. 512, 516, 62 N. E. 2d 621, 623. There was no error in overruling the affidavit for change of venue as to Wilbur Young individually.

Nor was there any error in denying a change of venue to Wilbur Young as a member of the Commission on General Education of the Indiana State Board of Education. He alone was not constituted by law a commission, and he fails to show any action by the commission authorizing it to [602]*602seek a change of venue. See Terre Haute Gas Corp. v. Johnson (1942), 221 Ind. 499, 45 N. E. 2d 484, 48 N. E. 2d 455. Moreover, §§ 49-1929 and 49-1932, Burns’ 1951 Replacement prohibit the commission from employing its own counsel without the written consent of the Attorney General.

However, the relator Young as Superintendent of Public Instruction contends that he had the right to employ his own counsel to represent him in the trial court and to obtain a change of venue from the county. The burden is on him to make a prima facie case for the issuance of the alternative writ, or it will be denied. State ex rel. Joint County Park Board v. Verbarg (1950), 228 Ind. 280, 91 N. E. 2d 916.

Section 8 of Article 8 of the Constitution of Indiana creates the office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, but it does not give him any right, powers or duties. The concluding part of the section states “his duties and compensation shall be prescribed by law.” This is similar to § 1 of Article 6 which creates the offices of Secretary, Auditor and Treasurer of State but further provides “They shall perform such duties as may be enjoined by law; . . .” Under the latter provision this court has held the Auditor of State exercises only such powers as may be delegated by legislative act. Branham v. Lange, Auditor (1861), 16 Ind. 497; Sherrick v. State (1906), 167 Ind. 345, 79 N. E. 193. When a public officer derives his power and authority solely from the statute, “unless a grant of power and authority can be found in the statute it must be concluded that there is none.” Chicago & E. I. R. R. Co. v. Public Service Comm. (1943), 221 Ind. 592, 594, 49 N. E. 2d 341. In State ex rel. White v. Grant Superior Court (1930), 202 Ind. [603]*603197, 172 N. E. 897, 71 A. L. R. 1354, it was held the Secretary of State, even when represented by the Attorney General, was without statutory authority to intervene in an original action in this court which sought to question the validity of Senate Bill No. 212 of the 1929 session of the General Assembly. We fail to find any statute giving the Superintendent of Public Instruction any right, power or duty to employ his own counsel or to seek a change of venue. Nor does it appear under the circumstances of this case that any such power or right should be implied as a necessary implication from the grant of an express statutory power or right. The General Assembly has made other specific provisions for his representation by the Attorney General.

The stautes of Indiana creating the office of Attorney General and providing for his rights, powers and duties do make him the official representative of the Superintendent when he is sued in his official capacity.

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State Ex Rel. Young v. Niblack, 99 N.E.2d 839, 229 Ind. 596, 1951 Ind. LEXIS 194 (Ind. 1951).

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