Court Opinion

ID: 9528409
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:40:54.529771+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:26:50.780587
License: Public Domain

CONREY, J.
I dissent. It is conceded that the only defect in the claimant’s investigation related to the responsibility, character and reputation of the purchaser of the machine, in other words, his moral responsibility. The statute (State Narcotic Act, sec. 15 [e], Deering’s 1933 Supp., Act 5323) is not an act regulating sales of personal property other than the dangerous substances covered by the title. A motorcycle, like a horse and buggy, is an ordinary subject of merchandise. The statute does not say that there must be an investigation of moral character before one may sell a motorcycle or other vehicle to a proposed purchaser. I can see no good reason for reading into the statute a meaning which its words have not expressed or for giving to the statute a construction which easily may operate so as to destroy rights of property held honestly and in good faith. Moreover, in this case the implied finding of the trial court is that the claimant did make a reasonable investigation of the responsibility, character and repuutation of the purchaser before selling the motorcycle. Since there is evidence that some investigation was made, although not particularly directed to the question of moral character, I think there is no good reason for reversal by this court of the trial court’s decision.
Langdon, J., concurred.