Court Opinion

ID: 9532496
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:21:50.944906+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:28:46.328277
License: Public Domain

MR. JUSTICE ANGSTMAN
(specially concurring).
On the record I must concur in the opinion of Mr. Justice Castles.
Had I any doubt about the matter I would prefer to condemn the increased rate.
I cannot however subscribe to the unheard of dictrine announced in the minority opinion. According to that view the attorney general should prevail because his client failed to find evidence somewhere, which he himself was unable to produce, that would tend to defeat the application for increased rates.
That view is contrary to all the cases throughout the country. The rule is that if the Commission’s order is sustained by substantial evidence, the courts will sustain it. 43 Am. Jur., Public Utilities and Services, section 227, page 724; Interstate Commerce Comm. v. Union Pac. Ry. Co., 222 U.S. 541, 32 S. Ct. 108, *28356 L. Ed. 308. That has been the settled rule in Montana. Billings Utility Co. v. Public Service Comm., 62 Mont. 21, 203 Pac. 366; Great Northern Utilities Co. v. Public Service Comm., 88 Mont. 180, 293 Pac. 294; Fulmer v. Board of Railroad Com’rs, 96 Mont. 22, 28 Pac. (2d) 849; Chicago M., St. P. & P. Ry. Co. v. Board of Railroad Com’rs, 126 Mont. 568, 255 Pac. (2d) 346.
Here, no member of this court questions the fact that the order of the Commission is supported by substantial evidence. The fact is there is no evidence to the contrary. Such being the case I find that what we said in the companion case of State ex rel. Olsen v. Public Service Commission, being case No. 9676, Mont., 308 Pac. (2d) 633, 635, must control my action here.
In that case we said:
‘ ‘ At the outset, we point out that in determining the questions before the court neither the trial judge nor the members of this court can discharge their duty by merely voting on whether they as individuals prefer the old or the new rate. They do not make a choice to either stand with the people or with the power company.
“The action of the courts must be governed by recognized principles of law as applied to the facts, and this court must render its decision in writing stating the grounds of the decision. R.C.M. 1947, section 93-212.
“We mention these matters simply to indicate that we agree with the Board when it said, ‘a popular decision would be to deny any increase, but popular political decisions cannot be considered’.”