Court Opinion

ID: 9845258
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 03:17:54.913358+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:15:57.669642
License: Public Domain

Thomas Gallagher, Justice
(dissenting).
I am of the opinion that there was not an unreasonable delay in the commencement of these proceedings. Prior to the meeting of the state canvassing board it could not have been determined under the laws of this state whether either petitioner or respondent was qualified under the state election laws to be designated as the nominee of his or her political party on the final election ballot. The state canvassing board met and certified the results of the primary election on September 23, 1952. The present proceedings were instituted October 6, 1952. The intervening 12-day period, in my opinion, should not be deemed unreasonable, particularly since any resulting harm, or disenfranchisement of voters serving in the armed forces, is not clearly established.
M. S. A. 202.04 by its terms clearly limits the privilege extended therein to “married women” only. A “married woman,” as defined in 55 C. J. S., p. 953, is: “A woman who has a husband living and not divorced; a feme covert.” (Italics supplied.) In Matter of Kaufman, 131 N. Y. 620, 621, 30 N. E. 242, 15 L. R. A. 292, the court held that a widow is an “unmarried woman,” within the meaning of Rev. Stat. of New York (7 ed.) part 2, c. 6, title 1, art. 3, § 44, providing that “a will executed by an unmarried woman shall be deemed revoked by her subsequent marriage.” 2 Pope, Legal Definitions, p. 935, defines the term “married” as: “A man who has a wife, or a woman who has a husband, is married. One without a husband or wife is not married — is single.”
These authorities strongly indicate that the term “married woman” would not include a woman holding the status of either a widow or divorcee. To hold that the legislature intended that the *30term should embrace either classification would constitute legislation by judicial construction.
Mr. Chief Justice Loring took no part in the consideration or decision of this case.