Stewart v. Ress

83 N.W.2d 901, 164 Neb. 876, 1957 Neb. LEXIS 185
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedJune 28, 1957
Docket34196
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 83 N.W.2d 901 (Stewart v. Ress) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stewart v. Ress, 83 N.W.2d 901, 164 Neb. 876, 1957 Neb. LEXIS 185 (Neb. 1957).

Opinion

Boslaugh, J.

The object of this litigation is to secure an adjudication that the order of revocation made on September 26, 1956, by L. N. Ress, as the Director of Motor Vehicles, of the license issued to appellee authorizing him to operate a motor vehicle in Nebraska was void; to obtain a restraining order and an injunction; and general equitable relief.

Appellee asserted that the action taken in that regard by L. N. Ress as Director of Motor Vehicles, hereafter referred to as appellant, was unauthorized and ineffective because his files and records did not contain sufficient proof as specified by law to authorize him to suspend or revoke the license of appellee and that the files and records of the office of appellant did not disclose that appellee had accumulated a total of 12 or more points as described in the point system of the state dealing with traffic violations. §§ 39-7,128 to 39-7,133, R. S. Supp., 1955. It was alleged that the files and records of appellant did show that the conviction for speeding on March 13,1956, was of a person named Donald H. Stewart whereas the name of appellee is Donald A. Stewart and he has not been known by nor has he used'the name of Donald H. Stewart; that the conviction for speeding on July 23, 1956, was of the holder of motor vehicle operator’s license No. J2-1901 L whereas the driver’s license of appellee was on that date No. J2-190 16; and that the alleged convictions on March 13, 1956, July 23, 1956, and September 11, 1956, were for speeding but evidence is lacking that the convictions were for speeding in violation of a municipal ordinance or statutory prohibition as is required by statute.

The hearing of the application of appellee for a restraining order was set by the district court for 10 a. m., October 20, 1956. The order revoking the license *878 of appellee was canceled by appellant October 19, 1956. A second order of revocation of the license of appellee was made on that date and notice thereof to appellee was then mailed to him. Appellee and his counsel learned from the attorney for appellant of the cancellation of the first order of revocation and the making of the second when they appeared for the hearing on October 20, 1956. Appellee filed a supplemental petition asserting reasons why the second order of revocation of his license was void. This order of revocation was canceled by appellant December 3, 1956. A third order of revocation of the license of appellee for 1 year from September 11, 1956, was made December 3, 1956, and notice thereof was given to appellee on December 4, 1956.

The answer of appellant to the petition of appellee, filed November 19, 1956, contained a denial and an allegation that appellant made an order October 19, 1956, revoking the license of appellee and notice thereof was given him October 20, 1956; and that appellee surrendered his license to appellant on demand therefor October 1, 1956.

The cause was tried to the district court December 12, 1956, on the petition of appellee, the answer of appellant, and the supplemental petition of appellee. There was no mention in the pleadings at that time of the order of revocation of the license of appellee made on December 3, 1956. At the conclusion of the trial on December 12, 1956, the court gave appellant leave to make answer to the supplemental petition which was done on December 19, 1956, and permission to appellee to reply to the answer of appellant which was done on December 29, 1956.

The answer of appellant to the supplemental petition alleged that appellant revoked the license of appellee December 3, 1956, by authority of section 39-7,129, R. S. Supp., 1955, because he had been convicted of speeding on July 7, 1955, in violation of section 39-723, R. R. S. *879 1943, in the justice of the peace court in Fairbury; on March 13, 1956, in violation of a city ordinance of the city of Lincoln in the municipal court of that city; on1 July 24, 1956, in violation of an ordinance of the city of North Platte in the police court of that city; and on September 11,1956, in violation of a city ordinance of the city of Lincoln in the municipal court of that city. The answer further alleged that appellee pleaded guilty to each of the charges of speeding as aforesaid and that he surrendered his license to appellant on his demand therefor on October 1, 1956. Appellee by reply denied the new matter of the answer of appellant.

The district court found generally for appellee, granted an injunction enjoining appellants from retaining the license of appellee or from interfering with his use and enjoyment of it, ordered appellants to return the license to appellee and to expunge from the records of the Director of' Motor Vehicles any showing appearing therein concerning any of the alleged four convictions of appellee for speeding, and set aside and annulled the action taken by appellants in reliance on the four alleged convictions of appellee for speeding. A motion for a new trial was denied. The subject of this appeal is the judgment and denial of a new trial.

The material circumstances of this case are few. There is no conflict of evidence concerning them. The record contains proof to this effect:

Appellee was charged in the justice of the peace court in Fairbury, Nebraska, with operating a motor vehicle on June 24, 1955, at a speed in excess of that allowed by and in violation of section 39-723, R. R. S. 1943. A hearing thereon was had July 7, 1955. Appellee pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to pay a fine and the costs.

Appellee was charged in the municipal court of Lincoln, Nebraska, with operating a motor vehicle within the city of Lincoln on March 3, 1956, at a greater speed than 25 miles per hour, contrary to and in violation of *880 an ordinance of the city regulating speed of motor vehicles therein. A hearing of the complaint was had on March 13,1956. Appellee pleaded guilty to the charge and was adjudged to pay a fine and costs which he paid on that date.

Appellee was charged in the police court of the city of North Platte, Nebraska, with operating a motor vehicle on July 23, 1956, within that city at a greater speed than allowed by and in violation of an ordinance of that city regulating the speed of motor vehicles therein. A hearing of the matter was had on July 24, 1956. Appellee pleaded guilty to the charge and was adjudged to pay a fine and costs.

Appellee was charged in the municipal court of the city of Lincoln, Nebraska, with operating a motor vehicle within the city of Lincoln on September 4, 1956, at a greater speed than 25 miles per hour, contrary to and in violation of an ordinance of the city regulating the speed of motor vehicles therein. A hearing concerning the charge was had on September 11, 1956. Appellee pleaded guilty to the charge and was adjudged to pay a fine and costs which he paid on that date.

Appellee does not contend in this litigation that he was not charged with the four offenses above described or that he did not plead guilty to each of them or that he was not in each instance adjudged to pay and did pay a fine and the costs.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
83 N.W.2d 901, 164 Neb. 876, 1957 Neb. LEXIS 185, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stewart-v-ress-neb-1957.