Court Opinion

ID: 9550579
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 18:37:32.199152+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:21:49.542066
License: Public Domain

MR. JUSTICE ADAIR
(dissenting):
In City of Philipsburg v. Porter, 121 Mont. 188, 193, 190 Pac. (2d) 676, 679, Mr. Justice Gibson, speaking for this court, said:
“Section 3, Revised Codes of Montana 1935 [now Section 12-201, R.C.M. 1947], provides: ‘No law contained in any of the codes or other statutes of Montana is retroactive unless expressly so declared. ’ This statute is declaratory of the general rule of construction that, ‘ “There is always a presumption that statutes are intended to operate prospectively only, and * # * ought not to have a retroactive operation unless they are so clear, strong, and imperative that no other meaning can be annexed to them, * * *” 25 R.C.L. 787.’ State ex rel Mills v. Dixon (Educational Bonds Case), 68 Mont. 526, 219 Pac. 637, 638.
“The statute which declares this rule forbids the consideration of extrinsic aids to the construction of a law in regard to its retroactive or prospective operation, wherein it commands that the law must not be held to be retroactive ‘unless expressly so declared.’ Mills v. State Board of Equalization, 97 Mont. 13, 33 Pac. (2d) 563. In Chapter 62 there is to be found no language that, either expressly or by implication, gives retroactive effect to the Act. It seems vain to consider the construction of the statute in this regard, however, for, if given retroactive operation the statute would be in violation of the constitutional prohibition against the enactment of a law impairing the obligation of contracts. If it were possible, which it is not, to construe the Act as retroactive, such reading thereof should be avoided under the well-known rule that where two constructions of a statute are possible, one of which would *290render the Act unconstitutional, and the other sustain its validity, the latter interpretation must be adopted.”
In Chapter 28, Laws of 1957, there is no language that, either expressly or by implication, gives retrospective effect to the Act. Section 12-201, R.C.M. 1947, prohibits the consideration of extrinsic aids to the construction of the section as to its retroactive or prospective operation. In my opinion the construction given the Chapter 28, Laws of 1957, by the majority opinion herein violates the express mandate of Section 12-201, supra.