Case Title: In Re Township of Glendale, Scott County

Citation: 180 N.W.2d 925

Docket Number: 

State: minnesota

Court: Minnesota Supreme Court

Date: 1970-10-16T00:00:00Z

Document:
180 N.W.2d 925 (1970) In re Petition and Resolution for Consolidation of TOWNSHIP OF GLENDALE with Village of Savage, SCOTT COUNTY. VILLAGE OF SAVAGE, et al., petitioners, Respondents, v. MINNESOTA MUNICIPAL COMMISSION, Appellant. No. 42001. Supreme Court of Minnesota. October 16, 1970. Douglas M. Head, Atty. Gen., Julian Hook, and Richard B. Riley, Spec. Asst. Attys. Gen., St. Paul, for appellant. Daniel John O'Connell, St. Paul, for respondents. NELSON, Justice. Following a hearing on a petition for consolidation of the town of Glendale and the village of Savage, both in Scott County, and a resolution of the village council for such consolidation, the Minnesota Municipal Commission on December 24, 1968, ordered the consolidation with the exception of Sections 30 and 31 of the town. The village and town, their officials, and two taxpayers applied to the Scott County District Court for review of the commission's order. In response thereto, on April 10, 1969, the Honorable Harold E. Flynn issued an order striking the portion of the commission's order deleting Sections 30 and 31 of the town from the area to be consolidated and remanding the matter to the commission with instructions to amend its order to include all of the town in the new village of Savage. The commission filed its notice of appeal from the district court's order May 12, 1969. *926 On June 13, 1969, the commission adopted the following resolution: Pursuant to the foregoing resolution, on June 23, 1970, the commission issued the following amendment to its order of December 24, 1968: On April 23, 1969, a letter from the attorney general's office was sent to the attorney for Glendale township and the village of Savage in answer to an inquiry as to the then present status of said matter in which it was stated in part: *927 Upon examination of the proceedings and the record herein, we find that any order we might now make would be futile. We have not overlooked the importance of the issues involved, but we must adhere to our long-established rule to the effect that this court does not pass judgments which can have no practical effect. It is well settled that if, pending an appeal, an event occurs which renders it impossible to grant any relief to appellant, or which makes a decision unnecessary, the appeal will be dismissed as presenting a moot question.[1] We think the foregoing rules render it impossible for this court to grant the Minnesota Municipal Commission, as appellant, any effectual relief. The questions here involved are moot by reason of the commission's amendment of its order of December 24, 1968. Appeal dismissed. [1] This court dismissed appeals as raising moot questions in Barnes v. Macken, 252 Minn. 412, 90 N.W.2d 222; State ex rel. Bennett v. Brown, 216 Minn. 135, 12 N.W.2d 180; Dehning v. Marshall Produce Co., 215 Minn. 339, 10 N.W.2d 229; McDonald v. Brewery and Beverage Drivers and Helpers and Warehousemen, Local Union, 215 Minn. 274, 9 N.W.2d 770; Moore v. McDonald, 165 Minn. 484, 205 N.W. 894; Troy v. City of St. Paul, 155 Minn. 391, 193 N.W. 726; State ex rel. Klemer v. City Recorder of City of Faribault, 129 Minn. 535, 152 N.W. 654; Hansen v. Northwestern Tel. Exch. Co., 127 Minn. 522, 149 N.W. 131. See, also, 1A Dunnell, Dig. (3 ed.) § 463; 27A Words and Phrases (Perm. Ed.) p. 142.