Court Opinion

ID: 9670727
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 03:24:45.587127+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:06.153496
License: Public Domain

ON REHEARING
On application for rehearing, Central of Georgia raises but one new issue, the assessment against it of the ten per cent penalty required to be assessed under the provisions of Title 7, § 814, Code of Alabama, 1940 (Recompiled, 1958). Central of Georgia assigns several grounds in its motion asking this court to "expunge, delete or remove the ten per cent penalty, amounting to $30,000, which has been assessed against the appellant." Stated succinctly, the grounds are (1) that the assessment is discriminatory and denies it equal protection of the law under the fourteenth amendment to the Federal Constitution; (2) that Title 7, § 814 is repugnant to the Alabama Constitution in that it penalizes an unsuccessful defendant-appellant, but does not penalize an unsuccessful plaintiff-appellant; (3) that Alabama cannot assess a penalty in a Federal Employers' Liability Act case wherein the cause of action arose outside the State of Alabama; (4) that Alabama's assessment of the penalty is different from other states, creating an inconsistent and unfair application of the FELA law among the courts of the several states; (5) that the assessment is illegal and (6) that Title 7, § 814 is unconstitutional.
This Court has previously decided that the ten per cent penalty imposed by Title 7, § 814 is appropriate. In Atlanta, Birmingham Coast R. Co. v. Cary, 250 Ala. 675, 35 So.2d 559
(1948), we had the exact question before us involving an appeal in an action under FELA. We said:
 "Following the rendition of this opinion, the motion to amend the judgment of affirmance here entered presents the only matter here for consideration. This motion relates to the insistence of counsel for appellant that in the affirmance of this judgment the ten per cent penalty should not be imposed. Such a penalty is prescribed under the procedure of this State by Title 7, § 814, Code 1940, Snellings v. Builders' Supply Co., 229 Ala. 1, 155 So. 858.
 "We are cited to Ellis v. Union Pacific Railroad Co., 329 U.S. 649, 67 S.Ct. 598, 91 L.Ed. 572, and Bailey v. Central Vermont Railroad Co., 319 U.S. 350, 63 S.Ct. 1062, 87 L.Ed. 1444, which we consider here inapplicable.
 "As we view the matter this question was settled by the Supreme Court of the United States as far back as 1916 in *Page 77 
Louisville Nashville R.R. Co. v. Stewart, 241 U.S. 261, 36 S.Ct. 586, 60 L.Ed. 989, and is conclusive in denial of the motion.
 "The judgment as heretofore affirmed must stand and the motion be denied."
The application for rehearing is denied and the motion to expunge the ten per cent penalty prescribed by Title 7, § 814, is denied.
Opinion extended. Application for rehearing overruled. Motion to expunge 10% penalty denied.
HEFLIN, C. J., and LAWSON, SIMPSON, MERRILL, HARWOOD, BLOODWORTH and McCALL, JJ., concur.