Court Opinion

ID: 9851331
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 05:10:45.577847+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:20:53.515612
License: Public Domain

Marshall, Justice,
dissenting.
In this case, we are presented with two statutory provisions. Under one, questions of fact in equity cases are to be decided by a jury. Under the other, if in an equity case no issue of fact is involved, the verdict of a jury is unnecessary. By negative implication, this latter provision necessarily means that where there is an issue of fact in an equity case, the verdict of a jury is necessary (if, of course, there is a demand for a jury trial).
The real question presented is whether the deletion or omission of the former statutory provision results in a repeal by implication of the latter. In my opinion, an application of the rules for determining implied repeals of statutes requires this question to be answered in the negative. See 19A Ga. Digest Statutes, § 158 et seq. (1964); 73 AmJur2d Statutes, § 400 et seq. (1974); 1A Sutherland Statutory Construction, § 23.09 et seq. (4th Ed.). I therefore dissent.
I am authorized to state that Justice Smith joins in this dissent.