Opinion ID: 1712613
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: on motion prior to decision for additional oral argument

Text: McGEHEE, C.J. The appellants in the two above-styled cases have filed a motion to be allowed to reargue both of the cases on the ground that when the same were originally argued and submitted, Justice Julian P. Alexander, now deceased, was a member of this Court, and that since the argument and submission of the cases, and before the decision thereof, the personnel of the Court has changed in that Justice Fred J. Lotterhos has succeeded Justice Alexander as a member of the Court. It appears that the cases were originally scheduled to be argued and submitted before Justices Roberds, Alexander, Hall, Kyle, and Holmes, a quorum of the Court under the constitutional amendment inserted by the Legislature at its 1952 session. It further appears from the minutes of the Court that Justice Arrington sat and heard the original arguments in the place and stead of Justice Alexander, who was temporarily absent from the bench when these cases were argued. The five members of the Court who heard the original arguments are still members of the Court and are participating in the decision of the cases, which are now being considered by the entire membership of the Court, including Justice Lotterhos as successor of Justice Alexander, deceased, and no original opinion has been written or decision rendered in either of the cases. The appellees have filed an objection to the granting of the motion for additional oral argument and have pointed out that Justice Alexander, deceased, did not hear the original arguments and that there is no precedent or need for the same to be argued before Justice Lotterhos as successor of Justice Alexander, deceased. In the case of McKay, et al. v. Lemly, et al., decided en banc by the Court April 25, 1949, and reported in 206 Miss. 456, 40 So.2d 281, there was a change in the personnel of the Court after the cause had been argued and submitted, in that Justice Hall had succeeded Justice Griffith upon the expiration of the latter's term of office, and before a decision had been rendered in the cause. The Court sustained a motion in favor of the appellants for reargument before the Court as thus newly constituted on the ground that the case had been argued before a six-member court while Justice Griffith was a member thereof, and that the appellants were entitled to reargue the case before the six judges who were to render the decision therein, including Justice Hall. No opinion was written in deciding the motion for reargument. We have concluded that neither our action in granting reargument in McKay, et al. v. Lemly, et al., supra, nor in any other case which the Court has heretofore decided, is a precedent for sustaining the motion in the instant case, and that (Hn 25) since under the constitutional amendment of 1952, whereby the Court was increased from six to nine members, it is provided that five out of the nine members of the Court shall constitute a quorum, we should not sustain the motion now before us in view of the fact that all five of the justices who sat and heard the original arguments are now present and participating in the decision to be rendered in each of said causes. The motion for additional oral argument is therefore overruled. Motion overruled. All Judges concur.