Opinion ID: 1592072
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: evidence was insufficient to support issuance of injunction

Text: Defendant ABC Books asserts the trial court erred (1) in finding defendant's maintenance of fully enclosed booths constitutes a nuisance and (2) in granting the injunction. The City of Lincoln, a city of the primary class, possesses statutory authority to sue and suppress nuisances. See Neb.Rev. Stat. § 18-1720 (Reissue 1987). It may make ordinances, bylaws, rules, and regulations not inconsistent with state law for promoting public safety, morals, and welfare of its inhabitants. See Neb.Rev.Stat. § 15-263 (Reissue 1987). Lincoln Mun.Code § 9.48.010 (1979) provides in part: Any room, house, building, structure, or place, and any property kept and used in maintaining the same, where in violation of the ordinances of the City of Lincoln unlawful or illegal acts are committed is hereby declared to be a disorderly house and a public or common nuisance; such unlawful or illegal acts so committed in such disorderly house are hereby declared to be disorderly practices and a public or common nuisance.... In the present case, the evidence established that contrary to § 5.12.175, defendant ABC Books continues to operate its picture arcades with fully enclosed booths. The City of Lincoln successfully prosecuted ABC Books on three separate occasions for violations of the ordinance; however, the convictions have not resulted in the removal of the fully enclosed booths. Furthermore, the evidence at trial established that illicit sexual activity regularly occurs in and around the enclosed booths. Undercover police officers personally observed instances of sexual solicitations, assaults, and indecent exposures on the premises of the defendant's store. The city has an interest in seeing that the law is not continually violated. Where an ordinance is openly, publicly, repeatedly, continuously, persistently, and intentionally violated, a public nuisance is created. State, ex rel. Hunter, v. Omaha Motion Picture Exhibitors Ass'n, 133 Neb. 89, 274 N.W. 397 (1937); State, ex rel. Hunter, v. The Araho, 137 Neb. 389, 289 N.W. 545 (1940). `[A] court of equity may properly afford injunctive relief where there has been a continuing and flagrant course of violations of the ... law even though these acts may be subject to criminal prosecution.' State ex rel. Douglas v. Wiener, 220 Neb. 502, 503, 370 N.W.2d 720, 722 (1985). See, also, State ex rel. Douglas v. Faith Baptist Church, 207 Neb. 802, 301 N.W.2d 571 (1981); State ex rel. Meyer v. Weiner, 190 Neb. 30, 205 N.W.2d 649 (1973); State v. Chicago & N.W. Ry. Co., 147 Neb. 970, 25 N.W.2d 824 (1947). Furthermore, this court has previously stated: We recognize the general rule that acts punishable by fine will not ordinarily be enjoined. But this rule does not have the force of denying such a remedy in the prevention of public wrongs arising out of repeated violations of a penalty statute which harmfully affects the interests of the public. And this rule does not require that such acts should create a nuisance. Injunction is properly used for the protection of public rights, property, or welfare, whether or not such acts violate a penalty statute and whether or not they constitute a nuisance. State ex rel. Meyer v. Weiner, supra at 33, 205 N.W.2d at 651 (quoting State v. Chicago & N.W. Ry. Co., supra ). We find that ABC Books openly, publicly, repeatedly, continuously, persistently, and intentionally violated the city's ordinance and that, therefore, its actions constituted a public nuisance. Consequently, the trial court properly enjoined ABC Books from continuing such violation.