Case Name: Barak O. White v. Charles D. Carlisle, Highway Commissioner of the Township of Leonidas
Court: Michigan Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Decision Date: 1893-04-07
Citations: 95 Mich. 288
Docket Number: 
Parties: Barak O. White v. Charles D. Carlisle, Highway Commissioner of the Township of Leonidas.
Judges: 
Reporter: Michigan Reports
Volume: 95
Pages: 288–289

Head Matter:
Barak O. White v. Charles D. Carlisle, Highway Commissioner of the Township of Leonidas.
Highways — Encroachment—Duties of commissioner.
Mandamus will not lie to compel a highway commissioner to institute proceedings under How. Stat. § 1371 et seq., at the instance of a private person, to remove an alleged encroachment upon a highway, when the commissioner believes, after an honest inquiry, that no unlawful encroachment exists.
. Mandamus.
Argued April 5, 1893.
Denied April 7, 1893.
Eelator applied for mandamus to compel respondent to institute proceedings to remove an alleged encroachment upon a highway. Eespondent returned that, after a full investigation, he did not believe that any such encroachment existed.
Howell, Carr & Barnard, for relator.
H. P. Stewart, for respondent.

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
The writ is denied, with costs, upon the ground that the statute gives a public remédy, and was not designed to make it the duty of the commissioner to institute proceedings, at the instance of a private person, when the commissioner believes, after an honest inquiry, that no unlawful encroachment upon the highway exists.