Opinion ID: 242089
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Availability of the Remedy of Mandatory Injunction

Text: 46 Panama Canal Company's last argument rests on the doctrine that federal courts outside the District of Columbia lack statutory authority to issue writs of mandamus against government officers in the exercise of their original jurisdiction. McIntire v. Wood, 7 Cranch 504, 11 U.S. 504, 3 L.Ed. 420; Rosenbaum v. Bauer, 120 U.S. 450, 7 S.Ct. 633, 30 L.Ed. 743; Knapp v. Lake Shore & M.S.R. Co., 197 U.S. 536, 25 S.Ct. 538, 49 L.Ed. 870; Covington & C. Bridge Co. v. Hager, 203 U.S. 109, 27 S.Ct. 24, 51 L.Ed. 111. The lower federal courts have not been consistent in handling efforts to avoid this doctrine by actions for mandatory injunctions or declaratory judgment; 37 but we need not review those cases, since the McIntire line of cases is inapplicable to an action like the present one against a corporation. Virginian R. Co. v. System Federation No. 40, supra, 300 U.S. 515, 57 S.Ct. 592, 81 L.Ed. 789, affirming 4 Cir., 84 F.2d 641, 646. The present situation is even more favorable for issuing a mandatory injunction, since by congressional legislation the defendant was made suable in New York, rather than in the District of Columbia. 47 We conclude that the judgment of dismissal for the defendant should be reversed and summary judgment should be entered for the plaintiffs on their motion therefor to the extent set forth in, and in accordance with, this opinion. 48 Reversed and remanded for judgment for the plaintiffs.