Title: Wilty v. Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Com.

State: louisiana

Issuer: Louisiana Supreme Court

Document:

157 So. 2d 718 (1963) 245 La. 145 Vernon J. WILTY, Jr. v. JEFFERSON PARISH DEMOCRATIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE and Mrs. Laura Verret Wilty (Qualification in the Name of Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr.). No. 46969. Supreme Court of Louisiana. October 23, 1963. Amended Decree October 30, 1963. Reasons for Judgment November 12, 1963. Concurring Opinion December 10, 1963. Nathan Greenberg, Gilbert P. Cohen, Gretna, for plaintiff-applicant. James E. Courtin, Dean A. Andrews, Jr., New Orleans, for defendants-respondents. HAMLIN, Justice. In conformity with the provisions of LSA-R.S. 18:364, which require disposition of cases of this character within twenty-four hours after submission, and giving particular consideration to the exigencies of the matter as relates to time, we herewith hand down our decisionthe reasons for which will follow in due course. *719 The judgment of the Court of Appeal, Fourth Circuit, is reversed and set aside. The judgment of the trial court is amended and as amended it is affirmed so as to read as follows: It is ordered, adjudged, and decreed that there be judgment herein in favor of plaintiff, Vernon J. Wilty, Jr., and against defendants, Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee and Mrs. Laura Verret Wilty, reversing the decision of the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee of September 30, 1963, and sustaining the objections to the candidacy of Mrs. Laura Verret Wilty for nomination by the Democratic Party for the Office of Assessor of the Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana, under the name of Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr., and requiring that the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee certify her as a candidate for said office under the name of Mrs. Laura Verret Wilty. Defendants to pay all costs of these proceedings. HAWTHORNE, J., is of the view that the result reached by the Court of Appeal is correct. PER CURIAM. It appearing manifest that our judgment and decree rendered herein on October 23, 1963, omitted to order compliance therewith within a time limit commensurate with the facts and law of this case, this Court, on its own motion, under the authority of LSA-R.S. 18:364, does hereby amend said judgment and decree to fix the date for compliance by the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee with its judgment and decree to be on or before Thursday, October 31, 1963, at 5:00 P.M., failing in which the judgment and decree of this Court shall serve as certification to the Honorable Wade O. Martin, Jr., Secretary of State of the State of Louisiana, in lieu of the certification of the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee, of Mrs. Laura Verret Wilty as a candidate for the Office of Assessor of the Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana, under the name of Mrs. Laura Verret Wiltv. In all other respects, our judgment and decree of October 23, 1963 shall remain in force and effect. HAMLIN, Justice. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr., alleging that he was a qualified elector registered to vote in the Parish of Jefferson, that he was the incumbent Assessor of the Parish of Jefferson (which Office he had held for two terms), and that he was a candidate for re-election to the Office of Assessor of the Parish of Jefferson in the Democratic Primary election to be held on December 7, 1963, filed a petition with the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee objecting to the qualification of Mrs. Laura Verret Wilty as a candidate for Assessor of the Parish of Jefferson on the following grounds: The Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee met on September 30, 1963 and voted (15 for, none against) to continue Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr. as a candidate and to leave her name as it appeared on the qualifying papers, i. e., "Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr." Thereafter, Vernon J. Wilty, Jr. filed an appeal in the Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court for the Parish of Jefferson, naming the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee and Mrs. Laura Verret Wilty as defendants; he alleged the same objections as above set forth and prayed that the judgment of the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee be reversed and that the court sustain his asserted objections to the candidacy of Mrs. Laura Verret Wilty. Alternatively, he prayed that Mrs. Laura Verret Wilty should be permitted to participate in the aforesaid Democratic Primary election and certified as a candidate either as Laura V. Wilty or Laura Verret Wilty. After filing exceptions of no cause and no right of action, Mrs. Wilty answered plaintiff's petition, declaring "that she married Vernon J. Wilty, Jr., legally and has been his wife and the mother of his children for some time, particularly during the terms when he served as Assessor for the Parish of Jefferson, being known as Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr.; that she is entitled to said name, it having been given to her as a result of her marriage contract with the plaintiff; that she is registered on the voter rolls of the Parish of Jefferson in said name and qualified as a candidate for the Assessor's office in said name and according to her registration certificate." She prayed that plaintiff's petition be dismissed. The Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee filed an "Answer and Special Defenses" to plaintiff's suit; it averred, as a special defense, that the Registration Rolls of the Parish of Jefferson demonstrated that a female had registered under the name of Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr. The trial court rendered judgment in favor of Vernon J. Wilty, Jr., dismissing the exceptions filed by Mrs. Wilty and "reversing the decision of the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee of September 30, 1963, and sustaining the objections to the candidacy of Mrs. Laura Verret Wilty for nomination by the Democratic Party for the office of Assessor of the Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana, under the name of Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr., and requiring that the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee certify her as a candidate for said office under the name of LAURA FRIEDA WILTY or LAURA VERRET WILTY. * * *" Mrs. Wilty appealed suspensively to this Court; we transferred the appeal to the Court of Appeal, Fourth Circuit, holding that the matter did not fall within our appellate jurisdiction. After argument, the Court of Appeal reversed and set aside the judgment of the trial court and ordered the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee to reinstate and to certify Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr., as a candidate for the Office of Assessor under the name of "Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr." and no other. In the exercise of our supervisory jurisdiction (Art. VII, Sec. 11, LSA-Const. of 1921), we directed Certiorari to the Court of Appeal in order that we might review its judgment. In conformity with the provisions of LSA-R.S. 18:364, we rendered our decree in the matter within twenty-four hours after submission. We now set forth the reasons for our decision. The facts of record reflect that Vernon John Wilty, Jr. and Laura Frieda Verret were married on January 6, 1951 in the Parish of Jefferson; on May 7, 1963, they *721 were judicially separated by judgment of the Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court for the Parish of Jefferson, in a suit entitled, "Laura Verret Wilty v. Vernon Wilty, Jr., Her Husband", No. 69-321. Mrs. Wilty has been registered as a voter of the Parish of Jefferson since September 20, 1951; her registration certificate bears the name "Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr." and her signature affixed is the same. A list showing the names of candidates in Jefferson Parish, together with the numbers assigned to each for the Democratic Primary election of December 7, 1963, was sent to the Clerk of Court for the Parish of Jefferson by the Secretary of State on October 1, 1963; Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr. was listed as No. 192, and Vernon John Wilty, Jr. was listed as No. 193. On the official ballot which will be submitted to the voting public on December 7, 1963, the last names or surnames of the candidates will appear first in large print and the other names will appear in very small print (LSA-R.S. 18:316) i. e., 192WILTY, Vernon J., Jr., (Mrs.); 193WILTY, Vernon John, Jr. Counsel for relator contends that the above listing is confusing and could prevent the voter from distinguishing between the persons of Mr. and Mrs. Wilty. It is Mrs. Wilty's contention that because she is still married to Mr. Wilty[1] and because she is registered under and uses this name, she is entitled to be a candidate under the name of Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr. It is self-explanatory that the voting public will be confused in their choice when they are presented with the names of two persons, one following the other, whose surnames are identical and whose first Christian names are identical. This is particularly true when consideration is given to the fact that voters will be making their choice for state officials as well as for parish officials. We agree with the conclusions of the trial court and the Court of Appeal that there is no definite law or decision in Louisiana as to what is the legal name of a married woman. "Fairness" in party primary elections is the primary spirit of our law, and our decision in this matter will be predicated on such quality or principle. Section 4 of Article VIII of the Louisiana Constitution of 1921 provides: Art. VIII, Sec. 1, Sub-section (c) (7), La.Const. of 1921, provides that an application for registration entitling a citizen of Louisiana to vote shall be in the following form: Sub-section (e) of Sec. 1, Art. VIII, La. Const. of 1921, states: An analysis of the above provisions of the Constitution shows that identity rather than name is stressed; they do not state what an applicant's legal name is nor do they set forth what name or names he should assign to himself. A person desiring to become a candidate in any primary that has been called shall file with the respective officers designated his intention to become a candidate at the primary, accompanied by a declaration under oath that to the best of his knowledge and belief he is a duly qualified elector under the constitution and laws of this state,[4] that he is a member of the party calling the primary, and that he possesses the qualifications required by the state central committee of the party. LSA-R.S. 18:309. Art. VIII, Sec. 15, La.Const. of 1921, among other requirements, provides that a write-in candidate for any offce shall file with the Clerk of the District Court of the parish in which he is seeking office, a statement containing the correct name under which he is to be voted for. We do not find any mandate setting forth by what name a candidate for office shall call himself; nor do we find any mandate *723 to the effect that a candidate for office shall use the same name as a candidate for office as he employed on his application for registration, although it is imperative that he be an elector. It is now incumbent upon us to determine what name a married woman, neither widowed nor divorced, should use under certain circumstances and what name she may use under other circumstances. We conclude that a married woman's designation or appellation should be that of her Christian name and her husband's surname. If she wishes to use her maiden surname as a middle name (for such reasons as identity), she has the right to exercise such privilege. Social custom, however, permits a married woman to use her husband's Christian name and surname with the prefix "Mrs." Mrs. Wilty contends that she is known in her community by the name of Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr. and is distinguished by such name; that she has used the name of Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr. in registering her children in school. She further argues that her name should appear on the ballot as Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr., because she has done all of the political acts and actions of her husband in that name and has lived by the name for over twelve years. The record contains neither proof nor contradiction of her contentions. We do not find the case of Huff v. State Election Board, 168 Okl. 277, 32 P.2d 920, 93 A.L.R. 906, on which the Court of Appeal relied, apposite to the present controversy. There was no question of separation or similarity of names in the Huff case; the issue for determination was whether a candidate for office could use a name and prefix by which she was known and which she employed in business, i. e., Mrs. I. L. Huff, or whether she should use another name on the ballot. The Oklahoma Supreme Court, in deciding that Mrs. Huff could employ the name of Mrs. I. L. Huff, stated: As previously stated herein, "fairness" in elections is our primary concern; such fairness is related to the "public interest" and the "public good." In association with such a principle, we must consider the custom that Mrs. Wilty states she has used. Summarizing, we find no positive law or jurisprudence in Louisiana ordering a married woman to use a particular appellation; we find no law stating that she has to qualify as a candidate for office under the name she gave on her application for registration, identity being the factor of importance. The Constitution, Art. VIII, Sec. 4, demands fairness in the enactment of legislation relating to party primaries; it follows that this fairness is also demanded of the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee. We conclude that paramount public rights are involved herein and that custom must yield in favor thereof. The public is entitled to have a fair election held. It follows that an election is not a fair one where there is a circumstance which confuses (or seriously tends to confuse) the voter as to the identity of the candidates, especially considering the extremely long ballot with numerous names thereon (the *726 last names appearing in large print and the other names being in very small print) that will be employed in the ensuing primary election. When Mr. Wilty protested, the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee had the right, and it was its duty, to order that Mrs. Wilty's name appear upon the ballot legally and in such manner that the voters of Jefferson Parish would not be confused, irrespective of the name under which she was registered. When the Committee acted as it did, its decision was contrary to and violative of the underlying spirit of our Constitutionthat fair elections should be held. Therefore, the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee must certify Mrs. Wilty as a candidate for the Office of Assessor under her Christian name, her family surname, and her husband's surname, using the prefix "Mrs.", i. e., Mrs. Laura Verret Wilty. See, State ex rel. Rogers v. State Election Board, 168 Okl. 441, 33 P.2d 806; Report and Opinions of the Attorney General of Louisiana, May 1, 1932 to April 1, 1934, p. 616. Because of our foregoing conclusions, we do not find it necessary to discuss the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee's contention to the effect that Mr. Wilty is making a collateral attack upon the registration laws of this State. For convenience, we repeat herewith the decree handed down by us in this matter on October 23, 1963. The judgment of the Court of Appeal, Fourth Circuit, is reversed and set aside. The judgment of the trial court is amended, and as amended it is affirmed so as to read as follows: It is ordered, adjudged, and decreed that there be judgment herein in favor of plaintiff, Vernon J. Wilty, Jr., and against defendants, Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee and Mrs. Laura Verret Wilty, reversing the decision of the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee of September 30, 1963, and sustaining the objections to the candidacy of Mrs. Laura Verret Wilty for nomination by the Democratic Party for the Office of Assessor of the Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana, under the name of Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr., and requiring that the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee certify her as a candidate for said office under the name of Mrs. Laura Verret Wilty. Defendants to pay all costs of these proceedings. McCALEB, SANDERS and SUMMERS, JJ., concur with written reasons. HAWTHORNE, J., dissents with written reasons. McCALEB, Justice (concurring). During oral argument the issue was raised as to whether the courts have the right or, as has been sometimes stated, "jurisdiction" to substitute their judgment for that of the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee in this case as it involves a purely political question. Pursuant to the discussion, the landmark case of Reid v. Brunot, 153 La. 490, 96 So. 43, was cited in support of the proposition that the courts are without jurisdiction "in the absence of special constitutional or statutory authorization" of matters relating to elections as those matters belong to the political department of government.[1] *727 Aside from my belief that the legal principle upon which Reid v. Brunot rested was discarded in O'Keefe v. Burke, 226 La. 1026, 78 So. 2d 161,[2] it is perfectly clear that that decision does not control this case even if it still stands. In Reid v. Brunot it was found that neither the Constitution nor the primary law empowered the court to grant relief. The situation in this case, however, is entirely different because R.S. 18:307 authorizes an opposing candidate to object to the candidacy of another person by filing such objection with the chairman or secretary of the Committee calling the primary. It further provides that such objection shall be heard and decided by the Committee and that "Each party may appeal to any court of competent jurisdiction for relief." Thus, jurisdiction has been specially conferred upon the courts by the Legislature to review the Committee's decision and grant such relief as they deem appropriate and just under the particular circumstances involved. This is exactly what the district court, the court of appeal and this Court has done in the instant case. On the merits, I am in accord with the majority opinion. SANDERS, Justice (concurring). In my opinion, the result reached in the instant case is correct. Although unnecessary for the decision, the majority cites, with apparent approval, the rule that by marriage a woman loses her maiden surname and takes her husband's surname as her legal name. I am unable to agree that marriage has this effect under the law of Louisiana. The common law fiction of merger between husband and wife, from which a change of the wife's legal name arises, has never obtained in Louisiana. Rather, this state has followed the civil law doctrine. After marriage, the legal name of a woman continues to be her maiden name, or patronym. The surname of the husband is used only as a matter of custom to indicate the marital status of the wife. See Succession of Kneipp, 172 La. 411, 134 So. 376; 1 McMahon Louisiana Practice p. 147; 1 Planiol, Traité Eléméntaire De Droit Civil (An English Translation by the Louisiana State Law Institute) No. 390. Accordingly, I concur in the decree. HAWTHORNE, Justice (dissenting). In this case plaintiff-relator is not objecting to the candidacy of defendant-respondent. In other words, he is not contesting her right to become a candidate in the primary election; he is simply objecting to her qualifying as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for assessor of Jefferson Parish under the name of "Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr.", the name under which she has been a registered voter of that parish since 1951. Plaintiff is also a candidate for that office, having qualified under the name of "Vernon John Wilty, Jr." Plaintiff's protest timely filed with the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee opposing defendant's qualifying as a candidate under the name of "Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr." was disallowed by that committee, which voted unanimously to accept the defendant's qualification under the name "Mrs. Vernon J. Wilty, Jr." This case properly belongs to the political department of the government, as there is no statute or constitutional provision giving the judiciary the power to act in a case like this. Reid v. Brunot, 153 La. 490, 96 So. 43, and numerous authorities there cited. In the Reid case this court said: "The first question to be determined is as to the source and extent of the courts' jurisdiction and power over the parties and subject-matter of this controversy. *728 "It is a well-settled and established principle of law that all elections and all matters relating to or affecting the same, belong to the political department of the government and are, therefore, beyond the control of the judicial power, in the absence of special constitutional or statutory authorization. No person has a right to invoke the aid of the courts in an election contest, unless there be some express law vesting the courts with jurisdiction and conferring such right of action upon the contestant." In the instant case the majority neither cites nor relies upon any express law vesting this court with jurisdiction and conferring this right of action, but bases its conclusion on the premise that the voter will be confused as to the identity of these two candidates and that this confusion will result in an unfair election. Even if this premise were valid, and I do not think it is, it does not serve to bring the case within the control of the judiciary, sole control being vested in the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee. Therefore the committee's action in disallowing plaintiff's protest is final and not subject to review by any court. The opinion in the instant case is contrary to the sound principle of law set out in Reid v. Brunot, supra, and the many authorities there cited. Even if I should concede that the court has jurisdiction, I cannot agree that the voters will not be able to identify the two candidates and will become confused. One of the candidates is designated by the prefix "Mrs.", and is thus clearly shown to be a woman; the other is obviously a man. In effect, the majority says the voters (all of whom are over 21 years of age) cannot tell the difference between a man and a woman when they enter the voting booth. As to whether they can at other times the court is not called upon to express any view. SUMMERS, Justice (concurring). I join in the concurring opinion of Mr. Justice SANDERS for the reasons he has assigned. [1] "The legal as well as the ordinary meaning of `spouse' is one's wife or husband. Marriage is only dissolved by divorce, or death of one of the parties. As a decree of separation from bed and board does not dissolve a marriage, we have no recourse but to hold that deceased left a `surviving spouse' within the wording and purpose of Article 2315." Harris v. Lumbermen's Mutual Casualty Co., La.App., 48 So. 2d 728. See. LSA-C.C. Arts. 152, 153, 155, and 159. [2] LSA-R.S. 18:32 sets forth a similar application for registration; the applicant must also state the party with which he is affiliated. [3] LSA-R.S. 18:37 recites that, "The applicant shall in all cases be able to establish that he is the identical person whom he represents himself to be when applying for registration. If the registrar has good reason to believe that he is not the same person, he may require the applicant to produce two credible registered voters of his precinct to make oath to that effect." [4] "The term `duly qualified elector' employed in the foregoing statutory provision can only be used in its broadest sense, meaning a person qualified to vote in the primary at which he seeks the nomination of the political party holding the primary." Sciambra v. Orleans Parish Republican Executive Comm., La. App., 69 So. 2d 171. [1] In Reid v. Brunot, Judge Reid was claiming that he was entitled to compete in a second primary because Judge Brunot had not received a majority of the legal votes cast. The Court held that it was without jurisdiction of the case because the Primary Election Law then in effect (it has long since been changed by the Legislature) limited the contest of elections to those cases in which the party initiating the contest was claiming the nomination and there was no provision of the law conferring upon the courts jurisdiction of a case when the contestant was merely claiming the right to enter a second primary. [2] See dissenting opinion at pages 1033 through 1038 of 226 Louisiana Reports. [226 La. pages 1033-1038, 78 So.2d pages 163-165].