Court Opinion

ID: 9527696
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:33:00.236736+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:26:04.069740
License: Public Domain

MOELLER, Justice,
Dissenting.
My reasons for dissenting from the court’s original opinion in this case have previously been noted and need not be restated here. See Roosevelt Elem. School Dist. v. Bishop, 179 Ariz. 233, 250-54, 877 P.2d 806, 823-27 (1994). When this court reviewed and rejected the 1996 legislative attempt to correct the constitutional problem perceived by the plurality, I did not renew my dissent in recognition of the fact that the plurality opinion had become final and it was clear that the 1996 legislative attempt was insufficient to meet the requirements of the plurality.
Because the majority’s present opinion assures that this case will be returning to the superior court and to this court yet another time, I write separately and briefly to make two points.
First, because of the posture of this case, I believe the trial court, in effect, may have incorrectly placed the burden of proof on the governor. Given the fact that the plurality opinion had declared the capital funding system unconstitutional, it may well be that those who argued in support of the 1997 legislation could appropriately be charged with the burden of going forward with the evidence as an initial matter. See Troutman v. Valley Nat’l Bank of Arizona, 170 Ariz. 513, 517, 826 P.2d 810, 814 (App.1992); Woerth v. City of Flagstaff, 167 Ariz. 412, 419, 808 P.2d 297, 304-05 (App.1990). However, the ultimate burden of proof never shifts. See Troutman, 170 Ariz. at 517, 826 P.2d at 814; Woerth, 167 Ariz. at 419, 808 P.2d at 304. It must always remain on those who attack the constitutionality of statutes. See Hall v. A.N.R. Freight System, Inc., 149 Ariz. 130, 133, 717 P.2d 434, 437 (1986); State v. Arnett, 119 Ariz. 38, 48, 579 P.2d 542, 552 (1978); Eastin v. Broomfield, 116 Ariz. 576, 580, 570 P.2d 744, 748 (1977). I write in the hope that, when this case is returned to the superior court, the burden of proof will be clearly placed where it legally and properly belongs: namely, upon those challenging the constitutionality of the applicable statutes.
Second, it is becoming increasingly clear that it is going to be very difficult, if not impossible, to determine whether any legislative solution cures the constitutional defect *526found by the plurality unless the legislation is permitted to operate for some period of time. Each time this case has come back to us for review, we have been presented with widely varying estimates of the statute’s future effect. Given the deference properly due to legislation, it would be prudent to retain jurisdiction for a trial period to enable the court to review the constitutionality of legislation based on known facts, rather than upon the speculation of the parties. I opted for that approach in this instance. Having failed to convince my colleagues of its efficacy, I commend it to them and to the superior court when the case returns to court, as it now must.