Opinion ID: 1532831
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Injury to Roy

Text: Critical to Roy's position herein is the necessity that he establish in fact some injury to a legally protected interest. See National Hearing Aid Centers, Inc. v. Smith, Me., 376 A.2d 456, 458 (1977). In this connection, we fully agree with the position of the defendants that issuance of the license to Roy created no property interest in the premises at 79-81 Cony Street. The record reveals without ambiguity that the owners of those premises had not conveyed any title or right of possession to Roy. For reasons not now relevant, the owners clearly were unwilling to give Roy a lease. At all relevant times, Roy lacked the financial capacity to accept the owners' offer to sell the premises. Since Roy lacks any protectable property interest, and since the owners did ultimately lease the premises to Baker, we cannot ascertain any basis upon which relief can now be afforded Roy under his complaint. His prayer for relief requests the revocation of Baker's license and an injunction against issuance of any similar license to third parties. Either of these remedies would impermissibly interfere with the legitimate interests of Baker and of the non-party owners of 79-81 Cony Street. The court would, in effect, be creating an interest in property where none previously existed. Our conclusion on the merits is not inconsistent with our earlier determination of standing to sue. In the first instance, we simply determine whether the plaintiff is one who may seek to establish a right to relief. On the second instance, our inquiry is whether he has in fact established such a right. On the record before us, we must affirm the Superior Court's conclusion that Baker had a good and valid license which he is entitled to retain.