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Ex Parte Poresky

U.S.
Nov 6, 1933
290 U.S. 30 (1933)

Summary

In Ex parte Poresky, 290 U.S. 30, 31, 54 S.Ct. 3, 4, 78 L.Ed. 152, the Supreme Court said that "a substantial claim of unconstitutionality" is necessary for the convening of a three-judge court, and that the statute "does not require three judges to pass upon this initial question of jurisdiction."

Summary of this case from Jones v. Branigin

Opinion

MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS.

No. ___, original.

Motion submitted October 2, 1933. Decided November 6, 1933.

1. When a bill for a preliminary injunction to restrain the enforcement of a state statute fails to set up a substantial federal question and no other ground of jurisdiction appears, a single district judge holding the district court has authority to dismiss it for the want of jurisdiction, without calling the three-judge court, under Jud. Code § 266, to hear the injunction application. P. 31. 2. The proposition that c. 90, Gen. Laws Mass., in requiring the posting of automobile liability insurance as a condition to registration of cars and issuance of license plates, for cars owned and operated wholly within the State, violates the Fourteenth Amendment, held clearly without merit in view of previous decisions by this Court. P. 32. Motion denied.

APPLICATION for leave to file petition for a writ of mandamus.

Mr. Joseph Poresky, pro se.


Leave is asked to file a petition for a writ of mandamus requiring District Judge Elisha H. Brewster, or other competent Judge, to call to his assistance two other Judges for the purpose of hearing and determining petitioner's application for an interlocutory injunction, as directed by statute. Jud. Code, § 266; 28 U.S.C. § 380.

Petitioner brought suit in the District Court of the United States against Joseph E. Ely, Governor, Joseph E. Warner, Attorney General, and Morgan T. Ryan, Registrar of Motor Vehicles, of Massachusetts, to enjoin the enforcement of chapter 90 of the General Laws of Massachusetts, relating to "compulsory automobile liability insurance," upon the ground that the statute violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. Petitioner alleged in his complaint that he is a citizen of Massachusetts; that the Registrar of Motor Vehicles had refused registration and number plates for his car unless he complied with the statute, under which he "must first post either bond or cash of $5,000, or procure insurance"; that the statute "is only applicable to cars owned and operated within the State and does not include cars in interstate traffic"; that he cannot comply with the statute; that to disregard it would bring him fine and imprisonment; that he has no adequate remedy at law; and that his inability to comply with the statute "is the Registrar's only reason for refusing him registration and number plates."

The District Judge dismissed the complaint as to Governor Ely and Attorney General Warner upon the ground that they were improperly joined as parties, and later he dismissed the complaint as to the defendant Ryan, Registrar of Motor Vehicles, for the want of jurisdiction, as there was no diversity of citizenship and no substantial federal question.

The District Judge recognized the rule that if the court was warranted in taking jurisdiction and the case fell within § 266 of the Judicial Code, a single judge was not authorized to dismiss the complaint on the merits, whatever his opinion of the merits might be. Ex parte Northern Pacific Ry. Co., 280 U.S. 142, 144; Stratton v. St. Louis S.W. Ry. Co., 282 U.S. 10, 15. But the provision requiring the presence of a court of three judges necessarily assumes that the District Court has jurisdiction. In the absence of diversity of citizenship, it is essential to jurisdiction that a substantial federal question should be presented. "A substantial claim of unconstitutionality is necessary for the application of § 266." Ex parte Buder, 271 U.S. 461, 467; Louisville Nashville R. Co. v. Garrett, 231 U.S. 298, 304. That provision does not require three judges to pass upon this initial question of jurisdiction.

The existence of a substantial question of constitutionality must be determined by the allegations of the bill of complaint. Mosher v. Phoenix, 287 U.S. 29, 30; Levering Garrigues Co. v. Morrin, 289 U.S. 103, 105. The question may be plainly unsubstantial, either because it is "obviously without merit" or because "its unsoundness so clearly results from the previous decisions of this court as to foreclose the subject and leave no room for the inference that the question sought to be raised can be the subject of controversy." Levering Garrigues Co. v. Morrin, supra; Hannis Distilling Co. v. Baltimore, 216 U.S. 285, 288; McGilvra v. Ross, 215 U.S. 70, 80.

While it is appropriate that a single District Judge to whom application is made for an interlocutory injunction restraining the enforcement of a state statute should carefully scrutinize the bill of complaint to ascertain whether a substantial question is presented, to the end that the complainant should not be denied opportunity to be heard in the prescribed manner upon a question that is fairly open to debate, the District Judge clearly has authority to dismiss for the want of jurisdiction when the question lacks the necessary substance and no other ground of jurisdiction appears. Such was his authority in the instant case, in view of the decisions of this Court bearing upon the constitutional authority of the State, acting in the interest of public safety, to enact the statute assailed. Hendrick v. Maryland, 235 U.S. 610, 622; Continental Baking Co. v. Woodring, 286 U.S. 352, 357, 365, 366; Hess v. Pawloski, 274 U.S. 352, 356. See, also, Opinion of the Justices, 251 Mass. 569; 147 N.E. 681; Opinion of the Justices, 81 N.H. 566; 129 A. 117.

Leave to file petition for writ of mandamus is denied.


Summaries of

Ex Parte Poresky

U.S.
Nov 6, 1933
290 U.S. 30 (1933)

In Ex parte Poresky, 290 U.S. 30, 31, 54 S.Ct. 3, 4, 78 L.Ed. 152, the Supreme Court said that "a substantial claim of unconstitutionality" is necessary for the convening of a three-judge court, and that the statute "does not require three judges to pass upon this initial question of jurisdiction."

Summary of this case from Jones v. Branigin

In Ex Parte Poresky, 290 U.S. 30, 32, 54 S.Ct. 3, 78 L.Ed. 152 (1933), the Supreme Court said that a constitutional issue may be "plainly insubstantial" either because it has been foreclosed by earlier Court decisions or because it is "obviously without merit."

Summary of this case from Lewis v. Rockefeller

In Ex Parte Poresky, 290 U.S. 30, 54 S.Ct. 3, 78 L.Ed. 152 (1933), the Supreme Court held that a single judge may dismiss a complaint requesting a three-judge court only if the federal constitutional question is "insubstantial," either because it is "obviously without merit," or because "its unsoundness so clearly results from the previous decisions of this court as to foreclose the subject and leave no room for the inference that the question sought to be raised can be the subject of controversy.

Summary of this case from Fort v. Daley

In Ex parte Poresky, 290 U.S. 30, 54 S.Ct. 3, 78 L.Ed. 152 (1933) the Supreme Court held that a single judge could dismiss a petition for a three-judge court for want of jurisdiction.

Summary of this case from Hall v. State of New York

In Ex parte Poresky, 1933, 290 U.S. 30, 32, 54 S.Ct. 3, 78 L.Ed. 152, the Court made it clear that a single-judge district court always has authority to dismiss for want of jurisdiction when the federal question lacks the necessary substance and no other ground of jurisdiction appears.

Summary of this case from Stuart v. Wilson

In Poresky plaintiff had asserted that chapter 90 of the General Laws of Massachusetts, requiring automobile liability insurance or the posting of bonds as a condition to registration of cars and issuance of license plates, violated the fourteenth amendment.

Summary of this case from Ross v. Gunaris

In Ex parte Poresky, 290 U.S. 30, 31, 54 S.Ct. 3, 4, 78 L.Ed. 152 the Supreme Court said that "[a] substantial claim of unconstitutionality" is necessary for the convening of a three judge court, and that the statute "does not require three judges to pass upon this initial question of jurisdiction."

Summary of this case from Cantor v. Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

In Ex Parte Poresky, 290 U.S. 30, 32, 54 S.Ct. 3, 4, 78 L.Ed. 152 (1933), the court states that a constitutional question "may be plainly unsubstantial either because it is `obviously without merit' or because `its unsoundness so clearly results from the previous decisions of this court as to foreclose the subject and leave no room for the inference that the question sought to be raised can be the subject of controversy.' (Citations omitted.)

Summary of this case from Deppe v. Board of Jury Supervisors

In Ex parte Poresky, 290 U.S. 30, 54 S.Ct. 3, 78 L.Ed. 152 (1934), the Supreme Court held that a single judge can dismiss an action brought under § 2281 et seq. for lack of jurisdiction and that jurisdiction is lacking if the federal constitutional claim is insubstantial.

Summary of this case from Jarvis v. Brown

In Ex parte Poresky, 290 U.S. 30, 54 S.Ct. 3, 78 L.Ed. 152 (1933) (per curiam), the Court held that a single judge could dismiss the action rather than request that a three-judge court be convened where there was neither diversity jurisdiction, nor federal question jurisdiction because the federal question involved was clearly insubstantial.

Summary of this case from Atlee v. Laird

In Ex parte Poresky, 290 U.S. 30, 31, 54 S.Ct. 3, 4, 78 L.Ed. 152, the Supreme Court said that "[a] substantial claim of unconstitutionality" is necessary for the convening of a three-judge court, and that the statute "does not require three judges to pass upon this initial question of jurisdiction."

Summary of this case from Keiser v. Bell

In Ex parte Poresky, 290 U.S. 30, 54 S.Ct. 3, 78 L.Ed. 152, it was held (absent diversity jurisdiction) the question of whether a substantial Federal question was present was jurisdictional and consequently within the competence of a single District Judge to decide.

Summary of this case from Sola v. Sanchez Vilella

In Ex parte Poresky, 290 U.S. 30, 54 S.Ct. 3, 78 L.Ed. 152 (1933), the Supreme Court held that in order to find a substantial constitutional question, a district court must determine that the question is not "obviously without merit" or, alternatively, that the question has not been previously ruled on by the United States Supreme Court.

Summary of this case from Katz v. United States

In Ex parte Poresky, 290 U.S. 30, 54 S. Ct. 3, 4, 78 L.Ed. 152, it appears that the petitioner brought a suit against the Governor of Massachusetts et al. to restrain the enforcement of a Massachusetts law relating to compulsory automobile liability insurance on the ground that the statute violated the Fourteenth Amendment.

Summary of this case from Priceman v. Dewey
Case details for

Ex Parte Poresky

Case Details

Full title:EX PARTE PORESKY

Court:U.S.

Date published: Nov 6, 1933

Citations

290 U.S. 30 (1933)
54 S. Ct. 3

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