Case Name: HOPPER v. WILLCOX et al.
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1913-02-28
Citations: 140 N.Y.S. 423
Docket Number: 
Parties: HOPPER v. WILLCOX et al.
Judges: 
Reporter: West's New York Supplement
Volume: 140
Pages: 423–427

Head Matter:
(155 App. Div. 224.)
HOPPER v. WILLCOX et al.
(Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department.
February 28, 1913.)
1. Courts (§ 237 )—Certificate of Case by Supreme Court—Nature of Question—Denial of Temporary Injunction.
The Appellate Division will not certify a question or allow an appeal to the Court of Appeals from an order denying a temporary injunction, unless the parties stipulate that on the determination of one question of law, which the court can determine, in favor of the plaintiff, he would be entitled to a permanent injunction.
[Ed. Note.—For other cases, see Courts, Cent. Dig. §§ 491, 678-698; Dec. Dig. § 237. ]
2. Courts (§ 237*)—Certification of Questions—Nature of Question.
The Appellate Division will not certify the question of the illegality of a contract by a public service commission, where the Court of Appeals has determined that execution of the contract was not illegal; or a question as to whether its execution would be a waste of public funds; that not being a question of law.
[Ed. Note.—For other cases, see Courts, Cent. Dig. §§ 491, 678-698; Dec. Dig. § 237.*]
Laughlin, J., dissenting.
Action by John J. Hopper against William R. Willcox and others, constituting the Public Service Commission for the First District, and others. An order continuing an injunction pendente lite was reversed by the Appellate Division (140 N. Y. Supp. 277), and plaintiff moves for leave to appeal to the Court of Appeals on certified questions. Motion denied.
Argued before INGRAHAM, P. J., and McLAUGHLIN, LAUGHLIN, CLARKE, and SCOTT, JJ.
Clarence J. Shearn, of New York City, for the motion.
Morgan J. O’Brien, George S. Coleman, and James L. Quackenbush, both of New York City, George D. Yeomans, of Brooklyn, and Archibald R. Watson, Corp. Counsel, of New York City, opposed.
For other cases see same topic & § number in Dec. & Am. Digs. 1907 to date, & Rep'r Indexes
For other cases see same topic & § number in Dec. & Am. Digs. 1907 to date, & Rep'r Indexes-

Opinion:
INGRAHAM, P. J;
[1] This court has consistently refused to
certify a question to the Court of Appeals or to allow an appeal to the Court of Appeals from an order denying a motion for a temporary injunction, excepting when the parties stipulate that on the determination of one question of law, which the court can determine, in favor of the plaintiff, the plaintiff would be entitled to a permanent injunction. The cases cited by the counsel for the moving party were all cases where the question was as to the constitutionality of a statute', as Miller v. City of New York, 202 N. Y. 430, 96 N. E. 87, 416, where the sole question was as to the right of the plaintiff to maintain the action (County of Albany v. Hooker, 204 N. Y. 1, 97 N. E. 403), or where the action was brought to restrain the city of New York from exceeding the limit of indebtedness under the Constitution and where the question was submitted to the court on conceded facts and.there were presented but questions of law- based on those facts, as in Levy v. McClellan, 196 N. Y. 178, 89 N. E. 569.
In the former case involving the power to execute the contract, the Court of Appeals has decided that the amendments of 1912 to the Rapid Transit Act were constitutional, and the fundamental provisions of these contracts were authorized by the Rapid' Transit Act as amended by Laws of 1912. It was then settled that defendants would not commit an illegal act by the execution of these contracts. The other question, as to whether the execution of these contracts would be a waste of the funds of the city, was not a question of law, and therefore no question of law could be certified which the Court of Appeals would consider.
The motion is therefore denied, with $10 costs.
MCLAUGHLIN, CLARKE, and SCOTT, JJ., concur.