Court Opinion

ID: 9571365
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:31:13.224193+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:30:21.458821
License: Public Domain

HENRIOD, Justice
(concurring in the result) :
I concur in the result, and, doing so, say that in my opinion the dialogue between the main opinion and the dissent well might be resolved by many circumstances that distinguish procedures under petitions for writs of mandamus from regularly pursued appeals, — among which are 1) that relief under mandamus may be instanter in rare cases, not available by regular appeal, *102) the former looks to a sort of quasi de-•lictu, while the latter may apply only to a discretionary conclusion that may be rectified on appeal if proven to be honestly arrived at but improvident or the result of misunderstanding. Such conceptual difference may be reflected in Rule 65B(b) (3), employed by plaintiffs, having to do with grounds for mandamus. Therein is reflected a basis for extraordinary relief beyond that usually provided for by regular appeal, to compel someone to act where the law imposes a duty irrespective of any power of exercising discretion; it is something like the difference between a law that requires a dog catcher to impound all Mexican Hairless dogs, and a law that requires him to impound all Mexican Hairless dogs unless, in his infinite wisdom, he must determine whether the suspect dog is really a Mexican Hairless or perchance a shorn French Poodle.
Another distinction might - be found in our Constitution itself, Art. VIII, Sec. 25, where this court, on regular appeal, may reverse, modify or affirm, while in a mandamus proceeding the decision is definite, applies only to the duties of lawfully constituted officers with lawfully interdicted and predetermined duties which allegedly they have violated.
Since plaintiffs chose the route of the extraordinary writ under Rule 65B(b) (3), as is clearly reflected in their brief, they chose to ignore the route for relief under the plain, speedy, adequate remedy of appeal, where different moves are contemplated in the judicial procedural chess game, and it is no answer at this juncture to claim that having chosen a six-shooter as their weapon in their attack they may now prefer to scatter their shots by calling it a machine gun, which it isn’t.