Opinion ID: 2339039
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction of the subject matter

Text: The defendants contend that the subject matter of this action is political and as such is outside the jurisdiction of the courts. For this proposition they cite Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. 186, 82 S.Ct. 691, 7 L.Ed.2d 663 (1962), and McCarthy v. McAloon, 79 R.I. 55, 83 A.2d 75 (1951). It is true that this court stated in McCarthy that political questions are not cognizable in courts of equity and indicated that [i]n jurisdictions having distinct courts of law and equity it is generally recognized that equity is without jurisdiction to decide purely political questions. Id. at 60, 83 A.2d at 77. The term jurisdiction, however, was used in the sense of appropriate exercise of jurisdiction or justiciability as opposed to lack of jurisdiction in the fundamental sense. See La Petite Auberge, Inc. v. Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights, 419 A.2d 274, at ___ - ___ (R.I., 1980); Borozny v. Paine, R.I., 411 A.2d 304 (1980); Hartt v. Hartt, R.I., 397 A.2d 518 (1979) (all distinguishing appropriate exercise of jurisdiction from lack of jurisdiction in the fundamental sense). The Supreme Court of the United States in Baker v. Carr recognized this distinction between subject-matter jurisdiction and justiciability. Mr. Justice Brennan's observations on this subject are instructive: The District Court was uncertain whether our cases withholding federal judicial relief rested upon a lack of federal jurisdiction or upon the inappropriateness of the subject matter for judicial consideration-what we have designated `nonjusticiability.' The distinction between the two grounds is significant. In the instance of nonjusticiability, consideration of the cause is not wholly and immediately foreclosed; rather, the Court's inquiry necessarily proceeds to the point of deciding whether the duty asserted can be judicially identified and its breach judicially determined, and whether protection for the right asserted can be judicially molded. In the instance of lack of jurisdiction the cause either does not `arise under' the Federal Constitution, laws or treaties (or fall within one of the other enumerated categories of Art. III, § 2), or is not a `case or controversy' within the meaning of that section; or the cause is not one described by any jurisdictional statute. Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. at 198, 82 S.Ct. at 700, 7 L.Ed.2d at 674. When we apply this analysis to the case at bar, it is clear that the Superior Court has been granted jurisdiction under chapter 30 of title 9, G.L. 1956 (1969 Reenactment), to render declaratory judgments, to construe statutes, and to determine rights, status or other legal relations thereunder, § 9-30-2. In addition, the Superior Court has been granted broad equity powers under § 8-2-13, powers undoubtedly broader than those conferred upon federal district courts, which are essentially courts of limited jurisdiction. Aldinger v. Howard, 427 U.S. 1, 15, 96 S.Ct. 2413, 2420-21, 49 L.Ed.2d 276, 287 (1976); 13 Wright, Miller & Cooper, Federal Practice and Procedure § 3522 at 44 (1975). There seems little question that in an appropriate case involving a party with adequate standing, the Superior Court could well consider a controversy in which the construction of a statute was at issue and the determination of compliance by the Chief Executive with an act of the General Assembly was in question. Thus we are of the opinion that the Superior Court in the instant case had jurisdiction of the subject matter.