Vincent v. Umatilla County

12 P. 732, 14 Or. 375, 1887 Ore. LEXIS 13
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 14, 1887
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 12 P. 732 (Vincent v. Umatilla County) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Vincent v. Umatilla County, 12 P. 732, 14 Or. 375, 1887 Ore. LEXIS 13 (Or. 1887).

Opinions

Stkahan, J.

This proceeding was instituted in the circuit court- of Umatilla County, Oregon, by the respondent, for a writ of review to be directed to the county court of caid couur [376]*376ty. The pm-pose of the writ was to bring before the circuit court for review the record of the county court of Umatilla County, rejecting and refusing to audit or allow an account against said county, presented on behalf of Company B, First Begiment, Third Brigade, O. S. Militia. The amount of the account presented was $662.81, and the items are mainly for rent of armory, for drill, etc., and for expenses for armorer, and some other small items, all apparently incurred in and about the care and store of the arms of the company, its drill, etc. The first item in the account is in December, 1881, and the last in March, 1886.

The petition for the writ alleges in substance that on the 8ih day of April, 1886, the plaintiff made and filed in the county court of Umatilla County, his petition, duly verified, of which the following is a copy, to wit: “ In the county court of the State of Oregon, for Umatilla County. The undersigned, your petitioner, respectfully represents that on July 29, 1884, Company B, First Begiment, Third Brigade,. Oregon State Militia, was organized in Umatilla County, Oregon, according to the laws of the State of Oregon, and was listed in the office of the adjutant general of the state, and has continued ever since said date a part of the organized militia of said State of Oregon ; that your petitioner, F. A. Vincent, was elected and duly commissioned captain of said company, and as such gave and tendered the necessary bonds required by law; that he has ever since been and is now such captain, duly qualified and commissioned according to law ; that from the time of its organization until the first day of April, 1886, the county court of Umatilla County, Oregon, had paid nothing to said F. A. Vincent as captain of said company, or anyone else, for necessary expenses of said company.

“ And your petitioner represents that since the organization of said company aforesaid, said company has incurred, as necessary expenses in procuring armory and armorer, and other incidental expenses, the sum of $662.81, an itemized statement • of the same being herewith submitted and attached hereto, and made a part of this petition, and marked “ Exhibit A.”

[377]*377“ Wherefore your petitioner prays that your honorable body make an order that said sum of $662.81 be paid to your petitioner out of the funds of Umatilla County, for the purpose sot forth in the petition and itemized statement.

“F. A. Vincent, Petitioner.”

This statement is verified by Captain Vincent, to the effect he believes it to be true.

The petition for the writ of review then alleges that said county court disallowed said claim on the 13th day of April, 1886, and refused to audit, or allow, or cause to be paid, said account, and without cause disallowed the same.

After setting out copies of the order in the county court disallowing the claim, the petition proceeds : “ And your petitioner further shows that there was no other evidence before the court than the said petition, and that there was no controversy or dispute about the matters and things set forth in said petition. And that said county court erred in refusing to audit, allow, or pay said account, and in disallowing the same ; for the reason that said court had no jurisdiction to disallow said petition, because it is the duty of said court to audit and to. cause to be paid the necessary expenses of a duly organized volunteer company of the state.

“ Wherefore your petitioner prays that a writ of review issue, made returnable at the May term of the above court, that the matters herein complained of as being erroneous may be reviewed by such circuit court.

The petition is properly verified by an attorney of this court. Based on this petition, the writ was ordered to issue ; and upon its return the amount claimed before the county court was reduced in one or two unimportant particulars, and then allowed, and ordered paid by the county. From that judgment this appeal is taken.

The proceeding by writ of review is not adapted to litigate or determine disputed questions of fact arising between a county and a person having a claim against such county. When the facts are all admitted, and the sole question at issue is one [378]*378of law, the writ may furnish a cheap and expeditious remedy to the claimant, and no objection is perceived why he may not resort to it; but the practice of allowing parties to make and file exp arte statements against a county, upon which large claims are founded, is one that rests on no principle—is dangerous in practice, is capable of great abuse, and ought not to be encouraged. It is much safer, ordinarily, for parties having disputed claims against a county to resort to an action, where a jury trial can be had and all the facts fully elicited, and where the trial court will be able to assist in the proper solution of the question by giving the necessary instructions. But the plaintiff is not without precedent in this court for the present proceeding, and I will therefore proceed to examine the case upon its merits. In doing so, it is proper to state, however, that the facts and all the requirements of law necessary to the creation of a valid claim must be made to fully appear. This would be the rule in any case, but I think a somewhat stricter rule ought to be applied in a case where the original proceeding, instituted in the county court, is wholly ex parte.

Sec. 19 General Laws of Oregon, p. 668, provides: “ It shall be the duty of the county court of each county in which there shall be one or more organized volunteer companies, upon application of the captain or commanding officer of the same, to provide for each company in said county an armory, safe and suitable for the drill of squads in the school of the soldier, and an armorer to take charge of the same ; and said court shall also, at each of its sessions, audit and allow and cause to be paid the necessary expenses of the same ; provided, that the total amount for all the purposes above mentioned shall not exceed fifty dollars in money per month for each company.

Sec. 18 provides, amongst other things, that certain military stores may issue to any volunteer company which shall be organized according to law, on the application of the commanding officer thereof to, the commander-in-chief, through the proper military authority, for such arms and accoutrements or stores as may be required; such application being first submit[379]*379ted to the county judge, and receiving his approval, which shall be endorsed thereon.” Said section continues: If the commander-in-cliief shall approve such application, or any part thereof, he shall give an order upon the back thereof, directing the issue by the adjutant general, who shall immediately notify the officer making such application, and the county judge who approved it that the arms and accoutrements or stores mentioned in such application, or any portion thereof, are ready for issue ; and thereupon it shall be the duty of such officer to give such bonds and security as may be deemed requisite by the county judge to secure the county from loss on account of use or misapplication of such arms or equipments, or other stores. And on due notification from such county judge,

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Bechtold v. Wilson
187 P.2d 675 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1947)
Coos Bay Times Pub. Co. v. Coos County
160 P. 532 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1916)
O.-W. R. & Nav. Co. v. Castner
135 P. 174 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1913)
Flagg v. Columbia County
94 P. 184 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1908)
Meinert v. Harder
65 P. 1056 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1901)
Oregon Coal Co. v. Coos Co.
47 P. 851 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1897)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
12 P. 732, 14 Or. 375, 1887 Ore. LEXIS 13, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/vincent-v-umatilla-county-or-1887.