Court Opinion

ID: 9858187
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 16:18:07.045319+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:53:27.540747
License: Public Domain

MOISE, Justice
(dissenting).
The historical background of the opinion in the Cobb case was based on the law of medieval England that “the King can do no wrong”. It is because of this wrong concept that our forefathers wrote a preamble of the Constitution of the United States and promised to the citizens domestic tranquillity, a general welfare, and the blessings of liberty. In fact, in the whole instrument there is found the logical resuit of the liberation of a people from gov-*19eminent. We settled this principle on the field of battle during the Revolution.
The capable Judge of the District Court overruled • the. exception ratione materiae, and under the circumstances heretofore stated this Court maintained the exception to the jurisdiction ratione materiae.
As, the matter now stands we have seven judges of this Court and one of the District Court, and the count as to whether a rehearing should hav.e been granted is equally divided. To my mind it is manifest that in such a case a rehearing should have been granted. The highest Court in the world has admonished all of us that in the exercise of high power the Court must ever be on guard lest we erect our prejudices into legal principles.
The majority in the original opinion seems to believe that we should follow the holdings of generations of long ago. Speaking, only for myself, I: like the form of government under which we live, the exercise and power of protection to the citizens from government, and not to depart to one that needs the conditions of another age for affirmance. In this progressive age we should not supercede common understanding and right. In his reasons for judgment, the Trial Judge crystalized these maxims of common sense — sometimes called the hand grenades of argument. He followed the jurisprudence of this. Court in three cases. In the Cobb decision one of these cases has been expressly overruled and a feeble effort has been made to take the other two out of the general rules established by the decisions of this Court.
The majority decision states that there are no exceptions to the immunity of the State from suit, but, we perceive from the record in the reasons of the Trial Judge that the able Attorney General has attempted to have this action declared one in tort. Why? Because, the immunity prevails in an action in tort or when the State acts in a governmental capacity. The decisions quoted in the Cobb opinion are only authorities for the governmental rule. The exception to the general rule will be found in the case of Begnaud v. Grubb & Hawkins, 209 La. 826, 25 So.2d 606; State ex rel. Shell Oil Co. v. Register of State Land Office, 193 La. 883, 192 So. 519; and Texas Company v. State Mineral Board, 216 La. 742, 44 So.2d 841, 843.
Since the majority opinion states that there is no authority for the exception to the general rule, why should it then state that the ruling in the Begnaud case, supra, is manifestly contrary to all jurisprudence on this subject and that the mistake in the ruling should not be perpetuated?
Mr. Justice McCaleb, organ of the Court in the Cobb case, was the organ of the Court in the Texas case, supra, (the last decision of this Court on the subject herein ■involved) decided December 9, 1949. In that case we said:
“ *■ * * to say that plaintiff is bound by the leases and yet obtains no enforceable rights thereunder (because *21the State as the real party at interest is exempt from suit) would provide an avenue for the State to escape its just obligations even though it be contracting in its proprietary capacity. This is exactly what this Court refused to countenance in State ex rel. Shell Oil Co. v. Register of State Land Office, 193 La. 883, 192 So. 519 and in Begnaud v. Grubb & Hawkins, 209 La. 826, 25 So.2d 606, 608.”
The above authorities cited in the Texas case, supra, bear out our contention that a rehearing should have been granted in the Cobb case, and so does the authority cited in Footnote No. 2 of the Texas case, supra. We quote this footnote:
“In the last-cited case the Court said:
“ ‘The argument that because ordinarily the State as a sovereignty can not be sued in its courts except with its consent is untenable. It overlooks the fact that while the State possesses legislative, public and governmental power in the exercise of which it is a sovereignty and governs its people, it also possesses proprietary and quasi private power conferred upon it not for the purpose of governing its people but for the private advantage of the inhabitants of the State itself as a legal personality. This distinction in the powers of the State was pointed out in the case of State ex rel. Shell Oil Co. v. Register of State Land Office, 193 La. 883, 192 So. 519. In that case this Court held that when the State executed a mineral lease it was acting in its proprietary or quasi private capacity and that having accepted the benefits under the lease it could not escape its obligations — among which was the obligation of warranty. And the Court properly allowed the assignees of the lessee of the State to call their lessors in warranty to protect their possession of the leased premises.’ ”
What is so striking to our minds is the fact that in the Texas case, supra, the exception to the jurisdiction ratione materiae was overruled, and in the Cobb case the exception ratione materiae was sustained. When we analyze these two cases, the rulings therein made, and the statement in the Cobb case that there is no authority for the position taken by Mr. Cobb, we cannot catch on to the combinations of the law of these two cases, because the predicate looks one way and the conclusion another, while its syllogism fails to syllogize.
We feel that all citizens should give a loyal allegiance and a faithful service to their government; that the State should set a good example and live up to all of its obligations, whether expressed or implied.
A rehearing should have been granted, because the rationale of the decision is a complete suspension of the law relating to the obligation of a contract as provided for in the Revised Civil Code of Louisiana. ' In *23fact, in providing that immunity is absolute in all cases, the decision has overlooked the fact that while the State possesses legislative, public and governmental powers in the exercise of which it is a sovereign and governs its people, it also possesses proprietary powers conferred upon it not for the purposes of governing its people but for the private advantage of the inhabitants of the State as a legal personality.
The original decision has built an improvident immunity of the sovereign on a false premise, which, in the interest of the conduct of affairs in our civilization, must be recognized by such an exception as this Court has established respecting proprietary acts of the State in the cases of Begnaud, supra, Shell Oil, supra, and Texas, supra.
The Cobb decision then declares:
“It would serve no useful purpose to cite and discuss herein the numerous decisions written both before and after the Burke case with views in concordance with that authority. It suffices to refer to State ex rel. Cunningham v. Lazarus, 40 La.Ann. 856, 5 So. 289; State v. Liberty Oil Co., 154 La. 267, 97 So. 438, and Lewis v. State, 207 La. 194, 20 So.2d 917.”
The decision in the case of State ex rel. Hart v. Burke, 33 La.Ann. 498, (which case the Cobb decision mainly relies on) declares:
“This suit has clearly for its object the appropriation in favor of a private individual, who claims to he a creditor of the State, of money belonging to the State, which is in the State Treasury, and which the State has ordered, by constitutional provision, shall not be applied to him, but shall be used to defray the general expenses of the government.”
The Court itself has made the matter so clear in the above quotation, that he who runs may read and in the reading understand.
The next case we shall discuss is that of Angelle v. State, 212 La. 1069, 34 So.2d 321, in which Mr. Justice McCaleb was the organ of the Court, and which is cited as authority in the Cobb decision. In express terms it declares that the action against the State was one ex delicto. The decision in that case was correct, because it was an action ex delicto.
The case of State ex rel. Dodd v. Tison, 175 La. 235, 143 So. 59, quoted as authority for the position taken in the Cobb decision, was an action brought against the principal of a school. The Court held— and correctly so — that the State Board of Education should be sued and that an action would not lie against the principal of the school.
In the case of State ex rel. Cunningham v. Lazarus, 40 La.Ann. 856, 5 So. 289, proceedings were taken to compel the State to pay the cost of taking testimony. Of course, the decision in that case was cor*25rect, because no proprietary act of the State was involved.
The case of State v. Liberty Oil Co., 154 La. 267, 97 So. 438, was a tax case where the taxpayer reconvened to recover tax paid under protest. As the tax had gone into the public treasury, Article IV, § 1, of the Constitution, we held that it could not be withdrawn therefrom, except by specific appropriation. That decision is correct, and it is certainly no authority for the conclusion reached in the Cobb opinion.
The original opinion then cites the case of Lewis v. State, 207 La. 194, 20 So.2d 917. This was a suit brought against the State in an action ex delicto for damages sustained while in the Central Louisiana State Hospital.
A slight reference should be made to the Articles of the Revised Civil Code, as well as the grant of power, which are incident to all private corporations.
Article 2475 of the Revised Civil Code provides:
“The seller is bound to two principal obligations, that of delivering and that of warranting the thing which he sells.”
We are admonished that no one can disregard an Act of the Legislature, except with its sanction and consent, and that an Article of Code adopted by the Legislature constitutes an Act of that Department of Government.
Then Article 1756 of the Revised Civil Code declares:
“An obligation is, in its general and most extensive sense, synonymous with duty.”
Article 1761 of the Revised Civil Code provides:
“A contract is an agreement, by which one person obligates himself to another, to give, to do or permit, or not to do something, expressed or implied by such agreement.”
Article 1903 of the Revised Civil Code says:
“The obligation of contracts extends not only to what is expressly stipulated, but also to everything that, by law, equity or custom, is considered as' incidental to the particular contract, or necessary to carry it into effect.”
When the Louisiana Board of Institutions or the penitentiary made this sale to Mr. Cobb, it warranted the fitness of the thing sold, and it is by law a contract between the parties, enforceable, in that under Article I, Section 6 of the Bill of Rights our Courts are open to the citizen for remedy or redress.
Now, what are the powers granted to the Board of Institutions and the penitentiary by the Legislature?
Act 350 of 1950, Section 9, LSA-R.S. 51:692.9, gives them the power to, engage in business and the necessary power to pur*27chase the necessary machinery and materials to he used in the conduct thereof; and to enter into any agreement and contract with any person, firm or corporation for the acquisition and purchase of any such supplies, equipment, tools, machinery and materials deemed necessary and expedient to conduct the production and manufacture of articles, goods, wares and merchandise contemplated by this act.
Act 156 of 1952, Section 5(f), gives the Board of Institutions the right to lease the lands owned by the State and under the control of the Board. It further provides that:
“ * * * The Directors shall have the right to grant rights of way across State owned lands under its jurisdiction for the purpose of laying pipe lines, gas lines, water lines, and the transmission of electricity for power and light, and also for telephone and telegraph lines and to enter into the necessary contracts which shall provide for the payment of an adequate consideration. * * * to buy lands needed for the proper use of any institution and to sell and transfer real property belonging to the State and under the jurisdiction of the Board to any other State agency, with the approval of the Board of Institutions and the Governor.”
In the doing of these things the penitentiary is given the power to carry on this business of buying and selling and all that' is necessary and incidental to the operation of this business. By Act 350 of 1950, Section 9, a revolving fund of five hundred thousand dollars was created, to be used for the purpose of purchase of manufacturing supplies, equipment, tools, machinery, and materials to be used in the conduct of the business. This fund is not deposited with the State. Only an amount in excess of the five hundred thousand dollars is to be deposited into the General Fund of the State.
Act 429 of 1954, LSA-R.S. 51 ¡692.10, provides that the penitentiary can sell all fresh vegetables and all sugar on the open market; that the beef cattle raised by the penitentiary may be sold at public auction sales and the proceeds from such sales placed in a separate fund designated as the “Penitentiary Meat Fund”. The Statute further provides that the public auction barn selling such cattle shall furnish the penitentiary a list of all of the sellers of all cattle bought by the penitentiary, and the funds in the “Penitentiary Meat Fund” may be used for these purposes, and that when this fund reaches $15,000 any excess shall be deposited in the State Treasury to the credit of the Penitentiary Fund.
Could there be possible any grant of power stronger than the above ? A serious matter is involved — that under the grant of power, cattle may be sold. Under the Cobb decision, immunity is granted in all cases. Where a man purchases beef cattle for the ■ purpose of selling to the general public, who *29•warrants the fitness of the animal sold? As government is for the man, his life and property, that man will not be protected.
Then again, for instance, if cotton was sold for foreign export by the penitentiary and after it had gone across the water it was found that a mass of moss was in the center of the cotton, the purchaser abroad would have no warranty from the State of Louisiana because of the Cobb decision. He would first have to go to the State for permission to sue.
With all humility we say that the Legislature has put the penitentiary in business and the Court, by the Cobb decision, has taken it out of business. Under these circumstances, who would deal, citizen or foreigner, with the State ?
A rehearing should have been granted in this case, because the question for solution is now a mighty interrogation point thrown up by human progress. What will the solution be? Will it be like the pendulum of the clock — to go back and forth; or, will it be like the hands of the clock— to always go forward ?
For these reasons, I respectfully dissent to the refusal to grant a rehearing.