Court Opinion

ID: 9631939
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 10:56:17.12461+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:08:04.322667
License: Public Domain

PHELPS, Justice
(dissenting).
It is my position that when the State of Arizona became the owner in fee of the land involved under a grant from the Federal Government, in the exercise of the powers of sovereignty it may convey such land to a purchaser with or without reservations in the absence of constitutional or legislative restrictions prohibiting such reservations.
It is true that the legislature is in the exercise of the sovereign powers of the state in enacting any legislation its discretion may dictate within the scope of civil government not expressly or inferentially prohibited by the State or Federal constitution, Roberts v. Spray, 71 Ariz. 60, 223 P.2d 808. Yet, it is extremely doubtful in my mind if it has the power to prohibit the state (even if it had desired to do so) from reserving the gas, oil and mineral rights to land, upon the sale thereof which it owned in fee. Especially does this seem reasonable to me when such legislation relates not to its civil government but to its property rights.
Certainly the legislature had the power to set up a procedure by which the sale of land owned by the state may be accomplished and by whom it may be sold, as well as upon what conditions the sale may be made; also, when and under what conditions patents thereto may issue. This was done under the provisions of the State Land Code enacted in 1915 and as amended now appears as A.R.S. §§ 37-231 to 37-255 inclusive. This law was enacted primarily for the protection of the state in the administration and sale of said land and not for the benefit of purchaser. I am fully aware of the holding of this Court in Campbell v. Flying V Cattle Co., 25 Ariz. 577, 220 P. 417, but believe it to be unsound.
The legislature at no time incorporated into the land code any restrictions upon the state in the conveyance of such lands. It follows that in the absence of either constitutional or legislative restrictions prohibiting it from reserving the gas, oil and mineral rights in the sale of land owned by it in fee, it had the absolute right to incorporate such reservations in the contract of sale and in the patent thereto.
The power of sovereignty is absolute except as limited by its constitution or the Constitution of the United States. There is no contention here that the Enabling Act granted to the state less than a fee simple title. No legislation was required to invest the state with the power to reserve such gas, oil and mineral rights located thereunder. Its exercise is a prerogative of sovereignty.
The judgment should be reversed.