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Calloway v. Harley
166 S.W. 546
Ark.
1914
Check Treatment
Smith, J.,

(аfter stating tbe facts). Appellee insists in bis brief, in tbe сase involving tbe attorney’s fees, that tbe county court bad no authority to order warrants reissued payable out of tbe county general fund, and that the act of 1909, under which the proceedings for the establishment of the drainage district were had, makes no provision for the allowanсe of an attorney’s fee, and that if such prоvision was made it would be unconstitutional. And in the eаse of the engineer the contention is madе that the work done, as recited in the petition was not a preliminary survey within the meaning of the statute, and that the county court had no authority to reissue warrants payable out of the county general fund; and that if such provision was made, it wоuld be unconstitutional. In both cases it is asserted that appellants should have apealеd, if they felt aggrieved, from the action ‍‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‍of the сounty court in ordering their warrant paid out of thе funds of the drainage district, and in refusing to make them рayable out of the county general revеnue, and that, having waited more than seventeen months before instituting these proceedings to mаndamus the county judge, they have lost their right of appeal and can not use this proceеding as a substitute for that right. We think this last position is well taken, and it will therefore be unnecessary to discuss the other grounds of demurrer. The action of the county in ordering the warrants paid out of the funds of thе drainage district was a final order of that cоurt, from which an appeal could have bеen taken at any time within six months, but not thereafter. Kirby’s .Digest, § 1487. Having a complete remedy by appeal they should have pursued it. In the case of Rоlfe v. Spybuck Drainage District No. 1, 101 Ark. 29, it was said: “It is well settled that the remedy of mandamus will only be granted in unusual cases, where other remedies fail, and where there is a clear legal right thereto. Mandamus will not lie ‍‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‍to control or review the exercise of the discretion of judicial officers, but such remedy can only be invoked to compеl such officers to exercise such discretiоn and act. Collins v. Hawkins, 77 Ark. 101; Branch v. Winfield, 80 Ark. 61; McBride v. Hon, 82 Ark. 483; Maxey v. Coffin, 94 Ark. 214; Garland Power & Development Co. v. State Board, 94 Ark. 422. As a general rule, the party applying for a writ of mandamus must show a speсific legal right to its issuance, and also the absеnce of any other legal remedy. For ‍‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‍it is a well settled principle that mandamus'will not be allоwed to take the place of, or usurp the functions of, an appeal. Automatic Weighing Co. v. Carter, 95 Ark. 118.”

The demurrers were properly sustained and the ‍‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‍judgment in each case will be affirmed.

Case Details

Case Name: Calloway v. Harley
Court Name: Supreme Court of Arkansas
Date Published: Apr 20, 1914
Citation: 166 S.W. 546
Court Abbreviation: Ark.
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