Stephens v. First National Bank of Nevada

182 P.2d 146, 64 Nev. 292, 1947 Nev. LEXIS 54
CourtNevada Supreme Court
DecidedJune 20, 1947
Docket3479
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 182 P.2d 146 (Stephens v. First National Bank of Nevada) 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
Stephens v. First National Bank of Nevada, 182 P.2d 146, 64 Nev. 292, 1947 Nev. LEXIS 54 (Neb. 1947).

Opinion

*294 OPINION

By the Court,

Horsey, J. :

The United States attorney for the district of Nevada, pursuant to the direction of the attorney general of the United States, on January 21, 1947, appearing in his proper person, filed in this court a paper or document entitled, “Suggestion of the Interest of the United States in the Matter in Litigation and Motion for Leave to Appear and to Participate in the Litigation for the Protection of the Interest of the United States.” In the prayer of the said suggestion and motion, the United States prays:

“1. That your petitioner be permitted to appear in these proceedings and to present, upon proper leave 'granted, a brief setting forth the points and authorities relied upon by the United States as the obligor of the bonds which are the subject matter of the action, to sustain its contentions regarding the issue of the ownership of said bonds, and to be fully heard on oral argument before this Court, for the purpose of presenting, and attending to, the interest of the United States.
“2. That this Court determine and decree the controlling force and effect of the federal laws and regulations applicable to the ownership of the bonds in question, and render its decision and judgment herein accordingly.
“3. For such other and further relief as justice and equity may require.”

If the above-quoted objectives stated in the prayer were the only objectives sought to be accomplished by the appearance, the same could be as. readily accomplished by requesting leave to file a brief as amicus curiae, as was done in the lower court. But there are other objectives stated on page 2 of the memorandum of authorities in support of the motion, same being stated as follows: “Participation of such limited character, however, is not deemed sufficient, despite the fact that the United States Attorney accepts the *295 record on appeal in its present form and does not intend to seek permission to introduce evidence or otherwise interfere with the orderly course of appellate procedure in this Court. It is believed, however, that the appearance of the United States Attorney, at the direction of the Attorney General, to protect the interest of the United States, extends beyond the limited status of amicus curiae, and entitles the United States Attorney to take whatever other steps or proceedings may be legal or proper in the premises for the protection of the interest of the United States. In the instant case, such other contemplated steps or proceedings might include a petition for a rehearing or an appeal from a decision adverse to the interests of the United States.”

Summarized, the reasons as stated in the said suggestion of interest, and in said memorandum of authorities, for the motion for leave to appear in the manner and by the method requested, are:

That the decision of the lower court in the instant case, wherein the laws of the State of Nevada as to the ownership and devolution of personal property were applied in the determination of the ownership of certain United States savings bonds involved in the litigation, and registered, under the United States treasurer’s rules and regulations, in the names of appellant, Una E.. Stephens and of Paul F. Glanzmann, now deceased, as co-owners, is contrary to such rules and regulations of the secretary of the treasury (Treas. Dept. Car. No. 530, 5th Kevision), promulgated pursuant to, and under the authority of, the second liberty bond act, as amended. 31 U.S.C.A. sec 757c; that the decision and judgment of the lower court constitute a variance from the uniform national interpretation as to bonds of that character ; that the application of the state law in the premises renders the United States unable to fulfill its contractual obligation as to said bonds, and, therefore, that such decision and judgment tends to obstruct and impede the United States in the exercise of its power to borrow *296 money, and are in contravention and violation of the supremacy clause, article VI, clause 2, of the constitution of the United States.

The United States attorney, in his memorandum of authorities, has set forth verbatim the sections of 5 U.S.C.A., conferring certain authority upon the attorney general and upon the solicitor general of the United States.

5 U.S.C.A. sec. 309, 316, 317, are, respectively, as follows:

Sec. 309. “Conduct and argument of cases by Attorney General and Solicitor General. Except when the Attorney General in particular cases otherwise directs, the Attorney General and Solicitor General shall conduct and argue suits and writs of error and appeals in the Supreme Court and suits in the Court of Claims in which the United States is interested, and the Attorney General may, wherever he deems it for the interest of the United States, either in person conduct and argue any case in any court of the United States in which the United States is interested, or may direct the Solicitor General or any officer of the Department of Justice to do so.”

Sec. 316. “Interest of the United States in pending suits. The Solicitor General, or any officer of the Department of Justice, may be sent by the Attorney General to any State or district in the United States to attend to the interests of the United States in any suit pending in any of the courts of the United States, or in the courts of any State, or to attend to any other interest of the United States.”

Sec. 317. “Superintending district attorneys and marshals. The Attorney General shall exercise general superintendence and direction over the attorneys and marshals óf all the districts in the United States and the Territories as to the manner of discharging their respective duties; and the several district attorneys and marshals are required to report to the Attorney General an *297 account of their official proceedings, and of the state and condition of their respective offices, in such time and manner as the Attorney General may direct.”

It is by virtue of the authority conferred upon him by section 316 that the attorney general of the United States, acting by the United States attorney for the district of Nevada, moved, by way of suggestion of the interest of the United States, to appear and participate in the pending litigation, in this court.

Section 316 empowers the attorney general to send the solicitor general, or any officer of the department of justice, to any state or district of the United States “to attend to the interests of the United States in any suit pending in any of the courts of the United States, or in the courts of any State * *

It is obvious that the Congress of the United States, by such authorization of the attorney general, did not intend to invest him with unlimited authority to attend to the interests of the United States in pending suits in any manner, or at any time, or at any stage of the proceedings, in such courts as he might see fit, but contemplated and intended, of course, that such authority should be exercised in obedience to, and in conformity with, the laws and rules of procedure applicable to, and governing, the particular courts in which such suits were pending.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
182 P.2d 146, 64 Nev. 292, 1947 Nev. LEXIS 54, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stephens-v-first-national-bank-of-nevada-nev-1947.