Opinion ID: 1920961
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: The Bylaws Issue

Text: Plaintiffs contend that the trial court should have expressly held those bylaws of the school board that are repugnant to the open meeting law void. The court was not asked by plaintiffs for this relief in either their complaint or their motion for amended findings. This court is a court of review and does not ordinarily grant relief which was not requested in the trial court, nor do we see any great need for this relief. Bylaws of a school board, if repugnant to the open meeting law, are of no force or effect anyway. The open meeting statute has been amended since this case was heard and has a penal provision imposing a civil penalty not to exceed $100 for violation of the statute and forfeiture of office for a specified period of time upon a third violation. L.1973, c. 680, § 1, subd. 2. In addition, two other changes were made in the open meeting law that may have some effect on the future relief to be granted in this case. First, committee and subcommittees have been added to the entities whose meetings shall be open to the public and, second, the statute as amended will not apply to any board when exercising quasi-judicial functions involving disciplinary proceedings. L.1973, c. 680, § 1, subd. 1. These amendments to the Minnesota Open Meeting Law do not go into effect until May 1, 1974 (L.1973, c. 680, § 4) and consequently have no effect on this decision. We should point out that they may have an effect in the future since the courts have the inherent power to amend, modify, or vacate an injunction where the circumstances have changed and it is just and equitable to do so. Annotation, 68 A. L.R. 1180; Weaver v. Mississippi & R. River Boom Co., 30 Minn. 477, 16 N.W. 269 (1883); Larson v. Minnesota N.W. Elec. R. Co., 136 Minn. 423, 162 N.W. 523 (1917). Affirmed in part and reversed in part with directions for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. SHERAN, C. J., and YETKA and SCOTT, JJ., not having been members of this court at the time of the argument and submission, took no part in the consideration or decision of this case.