Opinion ID: 1864160
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Krages's Mandamus Petition

Text: The respondentsJudge Partin, the City, and the plaintiffscontend that the writ of mandamus should not issue because, they insist, the requisites for the extraordinary writ are not present. Those requisites are: (1) a clear legal right in the petitioner to the order sought; (2) an imperative duty upon the respondent to perform, accompanied by a refusal to do so; (3) a lack of another adequate remedy; and (4) properly invoked jurisdiction of the court. Ex parte Martin, 598 So.2d 1381, 1383 (Ala.1992). In particular, the respondents argue that Krages had another adequate remedy, namely, the right to appeal the judgment. As to this third requisite, we have stated: Mandamus will not issue when there is an adequate remedy by appeal, and a writ cannot be used as a substitute for appellate review. Ex parte Brooks, 572 So.2d [409, 411 (Ala.1990)]; see Ex parte Fowler, 574 So.2d 745, 747 (Ala.1990); Ex parte Furnace & Corrosive Services, Inc., 418 So.2d 891, 893 (Ala.1982). Generally, the writ will not be granted if the matter complained of can be raised on appeal. Ex parte Furnace & Corrosive Services, 418 So.2d at 893. The test to be applied in deciding whether the writ of mandamus should be granted is whether an appeal would provide an adequate remedy. Id.  598 So.2d at 1383 (emphasis added). Krages, however, insists that the third requisite is met here, because of City of Talladega v. Pettus, 602 So.2d 357 (Ala.1992), which stated: A court can prevent the issuance of a certificate of election to a municipal office, but, once the certificate is issued, the court is without authority to revoke it. Id. at 359. In his mandamus petition, Krages stated: [I]f the City Council meets and issues the certificate of election to candidate Jerry Davidson, Petitioner Krages ... will be deprived of any remedy if it is subsequently determined that the order [to certify Davidson] should not have been issued. Also, the City contends that Pettus is inconsistent both with caselaw and with statutes governing the duties of municipal governing bodies in municipal elections. The City requests that this Court define or clarify the procedure that must be followed in this case and in subsequent cases. We acknowledge this inconsistency and we take this opportunity to revisit Pettus. Pettus arose out of the following facts: On July 16, 1991, Larry H. Barton announced his candidacy for the office of mayor of Talladega. The election was held on August 27, 1991. No candidate received a majority of the votes in that election; thus a second election, or `run-off,' was necessary. That election was held on September 17, 1991. On the day before the election, at approximately 4:00 p.m., Barton filed his campaign committee disclosure form and his statement of contributions and expenditures required by the Fair Campaign Practices Act (`FCPA'). This filing was not timely. The run-off election was held on September 17, as scheduled. On the day after the election, the city council declared Barton the winner and issued him a certificate of election. On September 23, 1991, five days after the results of the second election were declared, Clarence Pettus filed a contest of that second election, and he asked the trial court to revoke the certificate of election issued to Barton and to order a new election. Pettus's challenge to Barton's election was based on Barton's failure to comply with the FCPA requirement that he file his campaign committee form and his statement of contribution and expenditures within five days of declaring his candidacy. The trial court, finding that Barton did not comply with the FCPA, ordered the city council to revoke Barton's certificate of election, relying on the provisions of Ala.Code 1975, § 17-22A-21. The city council filed a counterclaim in which it sought a court order to establish a procedure for electing a new mayor. The trial court responded by ordering the city to hold another election. Both the city and Barton appealed from the trial court's order revoking the certificate of election. 602 So.2d at 358 (footnote omitted). This Court reversed the judgment of the trial court and rendered a judgment in favor of Barton. In doing so, it discussed a number of issues pertinent to this case. In particular, it discussed Ala.Code 1975, § 17-22A-21, which provides: A certificate of election or nomination shall not be issued to any person elected or nominated to state or local office who shall fail to file any statement or report required by this chapter. A certificate of election or nomination already issued to any person elected or nominated to state or county office who fails to file any statement or report required by this chapter shall be revoked.  (Emphasis added.) Discussing this section, the principal opinion in Pettus stated: The first sentence in the statute gives the Court the express power to prevent the issuance of a certificate of election to any person nominated to a `state or local office,' which is defined by § 17-22A-2(7) as `[a]ny office under the constitution and laws of the state, except circuit, district or legislative offices, filled by election of the registered voters of a single county or municipality, or by the voters of a division contained within a county or municipality,' but the second sentence of § 17-22A-21 omits the term `local office' and substitutes instead the term `county office.' It seems clear that the legislature deliberately made no provision for the revocation of a certificate of election in a municipal election.