§ 82-882 — Judicial determination by Supreme Court of validity of

bonds, contracts and other acts - Notice. The district is authorized in its discretion to file an application with the Supreme Court of Oklahoma for approval by said court of any bonds to be issued under this act, or to file a petition for a judgment determining the validity of any proposed contract or action arising from the exercise of any of the powers, rights, privileges and functions conferred upon the district under this act; and exclusive original jurisdiction is hereby conferred upon the Supreme Court to hear and determine each such application or petition. It shall be the duty of the Court to give such applications and petitions precedence over the other civil business of the Court except habeas corpus proceedings, and to consider and pass upon the applications and petitions and any protests which may be filed thereto as speedily as possible. Notice of the hearing on each application and petition shall be given by a notice published in a newspaper of general circulation in the state that on a day named the district will ask the Court to hear its application and approve the bonds, or hear its petition and enter a declaratory judgment. Such notice shall inform property owners, taxpayers, ratepayers, citizens, and all persons having or claiming any right, title, or interest in such matter or properties or funds to be affected by the issuance of such bonds, or proposed contract or action, or affected in any way thereby, that they may file protests against the issuance of the bonds, or declaratory judgment, and be present at the hearings and contest the legality thereof. Such notice shall be published one time not less than ten (10) days prior to the date named for the hearing and the hearing may be adjourned from time to time in the discretion of the Court. If the Court shall be satisfied that the bonds have been properly authorized in accordance with this act and that, when issued, they will constitute valid obligations in accordance with their terms, the Court shall render its written opinion approving the bonds, and shall, upon application of the district, also issue an order permanently enjoining all persons described in the aforesaid notice from thereafter instituting any action or proceeding contesting the validity of such bonds, or of the rates, fees or charges authorized to be charged for the payment thereof, or the pledge of revenues to secure such payment, and shall fix the time within which a petition for rehearing may be filed. If the Court shall be satisfied that the proposed contract or action is in accordance with this act, the Court shall enter a judgment approving and declaring such contract or action to be valid, and shall, upon application of the district, also issue an order permanently enjoining all persons described in the aforesaid notice from thereafter instituting any action or proceeding contesting the validity of such contract or action, and shall fix the time within which the petition for rehearing may be filed. The decision of the Court shall be a judicial determination of the validity of the bonds, shall be conclusive as to the district, its officers and agents, and thereafter the bonds so approved and the revenues pledged to their payment shall be incontestable in any court in the State of Oklahoma, and any declaratory judgment on any contract or action of the district entered pursuant to this section shall have the force and effect of a final judgment or decree.

Legislative History

Laws 1957, p. 568, § 4.