Court Opinion

ID: 7823307
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-09-07 18:01:24.649717+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:30:47.730378
License: Public Domain

John I. Purtle, Justice, dissenting. On April 8, 1986, the people of the City of Hot Springs, Arkansas, lost their representative form of government. The shame of it is the manner in which the people lost or surrendered their rights. Sometime prior to the election date a few people got together and decided how to change the form of government with the approval of the voters. Thus, they devised a proposal which appeared on the voting machines as follows: FOR the proposition [ ] AGAINST the proposition [ ] The paper ballots read as follows: FOR the proposition to organize this City under Act 99 of the General Assembly of 1921, as amended. [ ] AGAINST the proposition to organize this City under Act 99 of the General Assembly of 1921, as amended. [ ] Following the above cited options, there appeared in very small print a “PROCLAMATION OF SPECIAL ELECTION.” It would take a fairly intelligent person several minutes to read the extremely complicated fine print contained in the proclamation. Probably not a single person read the proclamation at the time of voting. It is impossible to know what “proposition” a voter was voting FOR or AGAINST, at least on the voting machines. On the paper ballot, it is likewise impossible for a voter to understand what he was voting FOR or AGAINST unless the voter already knew what it meant to organize the City under Act 99 of the General Assembly of 1921, as amended. Whether this was a clever maneuver on the part of the sponsors of the City Manager form of government or simply an oversight, is immaterial because the result is the same; no ordinary voter could possibly have understood what was presented unless they had gained knowledge from another source. The trial court was absolutely correct in finding that the ballot proposition was improperly presented inasmuch as it was not in substantial compliance with Ark. Stat. Ann. § 19-111 (Repl. 1980). However, I think the trial court erred in ruling that the amendment to the complaint was not filed within 30 days of the certification of the election and therefore could not be properly considered. The majority opinion fails to recognize the purpose of ARCP Rule 15, which in part states: (a) Amendments. With the exception of pleading the defenses mentioned in Rule 12(h)(1), a party may amend his pleadings at any time without leave of the court. Where, however, upon motion of an opposing party, the court determines that prejudice would result or the disposition of the cause would be unduly delayed because of the filing of an amendment, the court may strike such amended pleading or grant a continuance of the proceeding. A party shall plead in response to the original pleading or within 20 days after service of the amended pleading, whichever period is longer, unless the court otherwise orders. (c) Relation Back of Amendments. Whenever the claim or defense asserted in the amended pleading arose out of the conduct, transaction or occurrence set forth in the original pleading, the amendment relates back to the date of the original pleading. . . . The obvious purpose in adopting Rule 15 was to allow amendments to pleadings without special permission of the court in nearly all instances. The court’s discretion is very limited and the pleader is given a rather loose rein. The majority fails to give effect to the express provisions of Rule 15(a) and Rule 15(c) by stating that Rule 81 is an exception to Rule 15. Rule 81(a) states: These rules shall apply to all civil proceedings cognizable in the circuit, chancery, and probate courts of this State except in those instances where a statute which creates a right, remedy or proceeding specifically provides a different procedure in which event the procedure so specified shall apply. This court has dealt with the relation back of amendments under Rule 15 in the case of Jim Halsey Co. v. Bonar, 284 Ark. 461, 683 S.W.2d 898 (1985). In Bonar we stated: Rule 15 not only makes liberal provision for amendments to pleadings, it also states that any claim asserted in the amended pleading, which arises “out of the conduct, transaction or occurrence set forth in the original pleading, . . .relates back to the date of the original pleading.” Rule 15(c). Since the amendment relates back, there can be no statute of limitations objection to the amendment without proof of undue delay or prejudice. See, Brill, supra; Ozark Kenworth, Inc. v. Neidecker, 283 Ark. 196, 672 S.W.2d 899 (1984). No such proof was offered here. In the case before us there was no request for a continuance nor a showing of undue delay or prejudice. There can be absolutely no question in the mind of any reasonable person that every allegation contained in the complaint and the amendment arose out of the same conduct, the April 8,1986, voting incident. I don’t think this court has the right to pick and choose which Rule it wishes to apply in cases being considered by it. It is my opinion that the appellants had the right to amend the complaint in order to have the real issue adjudicated. Any change in any form of government is a serious matter and should be undertaken only after careful consideration. If the people of Hot Springs want to change their form of government and knowingly vote to do so, then I have no objection to their doing so. However, under the guise of being “FOR” or “AGAINST” most people prefer to be “FOR.” The very least that can be expected is that they know what they are voting “FOR.” I would have prohibited the election. I am authorized to state that Justice Newbern joins in this dissent.