Opinion ID: 1725587
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: does article 6, section 170 of the mississippi constitution of 1890 and section 19-3-41, mississippi code of 1972, grant unto the board of supervisors exclusive jurisdiction, over county roads, bridges and ferries, subject only to appeal as provided by law?

Text: ¶ 16. In the appellant's brief, the Board simply states that the Mississippi Constitution, statute and supporting case law affords the county's Board of Supervisors broad authority and jurisdiction over its public, not private, roads. Its cites the following in support of this statement: Article 6, Section 170 of the Mississippi Constitution of 1890, Miss.Code Ann. § 19-3-41, Miss.Code Ann. § 65-7-95, Board of Supervisors Tishomingo County v. Blissitt, 200 Miss. 645, 27 So.2d 678 (1946), and Strakan v. Attala County, 91 Miss. 529, 44 So. 857 (1907). ¶ 17. The chancellor's Ruling of the Court dated August 7, 1996, recognizes the legal authorities cited by the appellants. Furthermore, the chancellor acknowledges the Board's authority with respect to public roads and specifically states, With this backdrop, it is the opinion of this Judge that the foregoing authorities give absolute discretion to the Board of Supervisors when considering a petition and many other matters dealing with roads, but particularly where a petition is filed and upon those petitions being filed and duly acted upon by the Board of Supervisors, it is their discretion and judgment as to whether or not the road is solely public. Therefore, when the petitions were presented and same was acted upon by the Board and recorded in the minutes from which the Board speaks, those roads, in the judgment of this Court, became public. (emphasis added). ¶ 18. Since the appellant states no specific error in relation to this issue and the chancellor expressly acknowledged the Board's authority in this area, there is nothing for this Court to address under this issue. III. WAS THE COURT ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS IN ACCEPTING OR REJECTING CERTAIN ROADS AS BEING PUBLIC OR PRIVATE BY PRESCRIPTION?