Case Name: North Canal Street Road
Court: Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania
Decision Date: 1840-09
Citations: 10 Watts 351
Docket Number: 
Parties: North Canal Street Road.
Judges: 
Reporter: Reports of cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Volume: 10
Pages: 351–352

Head Matter:
North Canal Street Road.
Proceedings commenced under the provisions of a statute, are arrested by the repeal of the statute; every act done towards their completion after the repeal, is void.
CERTIORARI to the quarter sessions of Jlllegheny county.
On March 23, 1839, a petition was presented, by the appointment of viewers, to lay out a road, within part of Allegheny town, from "the bank of the Pennsylvania canal to Cedar street, in the town, and viewers were appointed, who reported in favour of the road. To this report exceptions were filed, which were afterwards withdrawn; and, by consent of the parties, a review was granted January 4, 1840, and the reviewers also reported in favour of the road, which was confirmed by the court April IS, 1840, and ordered to be opened, 33 feet wide. From this decree of confirmation, John Tassey and Charles Avery appealed to the supreme court, on the ground, that by the act of 1839-40, sect. 12, and which was passed previously to the confirmation of the road by the quarter sessions, the jurisdiction of the court was taken away, and transferred to the councils of the city of Allegheny.
M Landless and Metcalf, for plaintiffs in error,
referred to the act of 1839-40, sect. 12, Pamph. Laws 308; and cited 8 Watts 517.
Lowrie, for defendant in error,
cited 3 Rawle 196.

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
Acts entirely done under a statute while it was in force, stand good after its repeal. But before these proceedings were completed, the statutory jurisdiction of the quarter sessions had been transferred to the councils of 'the city, by the twelfth section of the act of incorporation; and by the transfer, every thing done'was made void. The sessions, therefore, ought to have arrested the proceeding.
Order of the sessions reversed, and proceedings' quashed.