State Highway Commissioner v. Ottawa Circuit Judge

339 Mich. 390
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedApril 5, 1954
DocketCalender No. 45,941
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 339 Mich. 390 (State Highway Commissioner v. Ottawa Circuit Judge) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Highway Commissioner v. Ottawa Circuit Judge, 339 Mich. 390 (Mich. 1954).

Opinion

Kelly, J.

Plaintiff Charles M. Ziegler, State highway commissioner, decided that premises of the Holland Rendering Works were required in order to build a by-pass around the city of Holland, as a part of the construction of highway US-31. A purchase price could not be agreed upon. Under PA 1925, No 352, as amended (CL 1948, § 213.171 et seq. [Stat Ann §8.171 et seq.~\), the commissioner on September 19, 1952, made a determination of necessity, and estimated damages at $35,000. On September 26,1952, a notice and demand for possession was made, together with a tender of the estimated damages; said amount being deposited with the State treasurer after Holland Rendering Works refused to accept same.

The Ottawa county circuit court appointed 3 commissioners, who determined, and reported to the court, that $80,220.10 was just compensation for the property. Plaintiff filed objections to this report. On June 8, 1953, a hearing was held before Hon. Raymond L. Smith, circuit judge for Ottawa county.

The attorney general on July 1, 1953, notified the Holland Rendering Works that it was illegally withholding possession of the property and that it should cease operations and remove its personal property within 48 hours. On July 6, 1953, the Holland Rendering Works filed its bill of complaint, praying for an injunction. A temporary injunction was issued by Hon. William B. Brown, circuit judge, acting in the absence of Hon. Raymond L. Smith.

On July 14, 1953, Hon. Raymond L. Smith, having returned, rendered his opinion and order confirming the award of the commissioners.

On July 17th plaintiff filed his petition for a writ of mandamus in this Court. This Court ordered Judge Brown to show eapse why a peremptory writ of mandamus should not be issued compelling said circuit judge to enter an order vacating the restrain[393]*393ing order and quashing the temporary injunction, and said order was complied with.

In his brief in opposition, the circuit judge asks this Court to pass on this question:

“Where an ex parte temporary injunction has issued and the party enjoined has not sought an opportunity to be heard thereon nor moved the circuit court to vacate the same, is direct review by mandamus in this Court available?”

In the case of Lapham v. Oakland Circuit Judge, 170 Mich 564, this Court reviewed cases where mandamus had been denied “because no application was made to the circuit judge to vacate the order which it is now sought to compel him to vacate.” The Court then said (p 568):

“It was therefore held that before mandamus would lie, proper practice required that an application to vacate should be made directly to, and refused by, the court which made the order complained of. This rule is based on the underlying principle that a prerequisite to mandamus is a showing that there was a proper request or demand by relator for the performance of a duty sought to be enforced and a direct refusal thereof.”

In the case of Bennett v. Kalamazoo Circuit Judge, 181 Mich 700, this Court stated that after an examination of all cases, both civil and criminal, no case had been found “where the person seeking the vacation of an order was granted a writ of mandamus, where the record shows that no motion to vacate the order was made and counsel insisted upon the objection.”

In Wackenhut v. Washtenaw Circuit Judge, 218 Mich 655, this Court said (p 659):

“Defendant further contends with citation of sustaining decisions by this Court that plaintiff’s application for mandamus cannot- be entertained because [394]*394he did not first apply to the trial court to set aside its order denying dismissal. Unfortunately for the contention, that rule of practice and the decisions sustaining it had been relegated to the ‘good but obsolete’ discard, since passage of the judicature act which provides (CL 1915, § 13438) :

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Bluebook (online)
339 Mich. 390, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-highway-commissioner-v-ottawa-circuit-judge-mich-1954.