State v. Romich

176 P.2d 204, 67 Idaho 229, 1946 Ida. LEXIS 148
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 18, 1946
DocketNo. 7308.
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 176 P.2d 204 (State v. Romich) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Romich, 176 P.2d 204, 67 Idaho 229, 1946 Ida. LEXIS 148 (Idaho 1946).

Opinions

*231 MILLER, Justice.

January 14, 1946, Tom Romich, the appellant, was charged with the sale of intoxicating liquor in violation of Section 4-804 of the Boise City Code, and deposited a cash bond in the sum of $500 for his appearance for trial. The complaint is entitled, “In the Police Court, Boise City, County of Ada, State of Idaho.” The style of the complaint is, “The State of Idaho, plaintiff, v. Tom Romich, defendant.” The charging part of the complaint is as follows : “That John Doe (Tommie) of Boise City, Idaho, on or about the 14 day of January, 1946, did commit the crime of misdemeanor by then and there being, did wrongfully and unlawfully then and there Sell intoxicating liquor contrary to Article 4-804, Sec. 3, Ord. 1668 of Boise city code.” The conclusion, in part, recites, “All of which is contrary to the form of the ordinance of said Boise City in such cases made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the State of Idaho.”

The appellant interposed a demurrer asserting that the complaint did not state an offense under Section 4-804 or any other ordinance of Boise City; that Section 4-804 of Boise City Code is unconstitutional, illegal and void in that it is in violation of Sec. 26, Article III, of the Constitution of Idaho; that Sec. 4-804, as amended, is in *232 violation of and inconsistent with paragraph 2, Sec. 19, Article III, of the Idaho Constitution; and that said Sec. 4-804 is inconsistent with and contrary to the general laws of the State of Idaho in respect to the control, sale and consumption of intoxicating liquors enacted pursuant to Section 26, Article III, aforesaid. The demurrer was overruled by the City Magistrate; appellant then plead not guilty, and thereafter, on January 23, 1946, appellant was tried, adjudged guilty as charged, and was sentenced t'o pay a fine of $300, and to be imprisoned in the city jail for thirty days.' Appellant gave notice of intention to appeal, and February 1, 1946, after service thereof, filed notice of appeal to the District Court of Ada County. The appeal is from the judgment. April 1, 1946, the general and special demurrers of appellant in District Court were overruled, and the case was set for trial for April 17, 1946. April 2, 1946, appellant served and filed “Motion and Request for Jury Trial.” Said motion, among other things, asserts that under the Constitution of Idaho appellant is entitled to have the cause tried before a jury in like manner as misdemeanor cases under the statutes of Idaho, and requests and demands that a jury be drawn, sworn and impaneled for the trial of said case. April 6, 1946, the request and demand for jury ■trial was denied. April 17, 1946, the case came on for trial de novo before the District Court without a jury, and the appellant was adjudged guilty as charged in the complaint, and the trial judge made and filed judgment of conviction and sentenced appellant to be imprisoned in the county jail of Ada County, State of Idaho, “for ■the term of thirty days and in addition thereto pay a fine of $300.00.” April 20, 1946, a Certificate of Probable Cause was made and appellant served and filed Notice of Appeal to this Court.

The first “specification of errors” states: “The court erred in denying and overruling the demurrer (ff. 65-68) interposed to the complaint (ff. 62-64), its ruling appearing at (ff. 81-2).”

Section 26 of Article III of the Idaho Constitution, as amended in 1934, provides: “From and after the thirty-first day of December in the year 1934, the Legislature of the State of Idaho shall have full power and authority to permit, control and regulate or prohibit the manufacture, sale, keeping for sale, and transportation for sale, of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes.”

The major reasons asserted by appellant that the trial court erred in overruling the demurrer runs to the proposition that under the provisions of Sec. 26, Art. Ill, supra, municipalities are without authority to enact a valid ordinance making it an offense for an unlawful sale of intoxicating liquor within the city limits, and citing Taylor v. State, 62 Idaho 212, 109 P.2d 879. The above case was instituted to determine whether, under the provisions of Section 308, Chapter 222, of the Session Laws of 1939, the Idaho Liquor Control *233 Board could appoint legal counsel in the conduct of its business and the performance of its functions, and it was held that under the Constitution, supra, the legislature could authorize said board to employ legal counsel as against the contention that the furnishing of legal counsel and assistants was the official duty of the Attorney General. We think there is nothing in the constitutional amendment, nor in Chapter 222, supra, that prohibits a municipality from enacting a valid ordinance making it a misdemeanor for one to unlawfully sell intoxicating liquor within the city limits.

State v. Hannigan, 161 Kan. 492, 170 P.2d 138, being an extra citation by appellant, was a proceeding to abate a common nuisance, consisting of an automobile, vehicle or other property used in the illegal transportation of intoxicating liquors, and in which it was held that such was a proceeding in rem and constitutes a civil action. The court held that a city ordinance which requires the balance of the proceeds remaining from the sale of an automobile forfeited and sold as a common nuisance, after deducting specific items, to be paid into the treasury of the city instead of being credited to the general fund is repugnant to the legislative mandate requiring such balance to be paid into the treasury of the county for the support of the common schools, and is void. In the body of the opinion (170 P.2d at page 142), it is said: “Of course, under the statutes referred to cities have power to enact ordinances enabling them to conduct criminal prosecutions in the police courts against persons committing not only the offenses of illegal possession and sale but also the offense of illegal transportation of intoxicating liquors and to impose punishment therefor. * * * ”

In all said matters, however, statutory provisions are the controlling factors to which we must look for the legality of ordinances by municipalities and for the violation thereof.

The powers and duties of the Liquor Dispensary cover many kinds of ádministrative activities which municipalities may not exercise. By section 902 of Chapter 222, Session Laws, 1939, except as otherwise authorized by the act, “any person who shall have in possession, manufacture, transport, purchase, sell, or dispose of any alcoholic liquor shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.” Undoubtedly a municipality is authorized and may enact valid ordinances making it a misdemeanor for any person to engage in any activities prohibited by the act.

Appellant contends that under Section 902 of the Idaho Liquor Act, Session Laws, 1939, page 480, a second violation of said act is made an indictable misdemeanor and that appellant was entitled to a preliminary examination, thereby ousting the city from the regulation thereof. Appeh lant moved for “A finding of not guilty and acquittal” on the grounds that the *234

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Bluebook (online)
176 P.2d 204, 67 Idaho 229, 1946 Ida. LEXIS 148, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-romich-idaho-1946.