No. H-194 | D. Nev. | May 24, 1939
Following the filing of the opinion and decision of this Court dismissing plaintiff’s bill of complaint, 25 F. Supp. 571" court="D. Nev." date_filed="1938-12-12" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/humboldt-lovelock-irrigation-light--power-co-v-smith-8751952?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="8751952">25 F.Supp. 571, 575, defendant and interveners severally filed cost bills, to which plaintiff filed objections, which cost bills were allowed and taxed by the clerk of the court. Plaintiff has moved to re-tax the costs. The objections interposed to the cost bills include the following ground: that costs are not allowable where suit is dismissed for want of jurisdiction.
In the decision heretofore rendered it was held: “The complaint does not set out a substantial federal question and, consequently, this court lacks jurisdiction to dispose of the case upon its merits.”
Manifestly, this was a decision that the court had no jurisdiction. Levering & Garrigues Co. v. Morrin, 289 U.S. 103" court="SCOTUS" date_filed="1933-04-10" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/levering--garrigues-co-v-morrin-102074?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="102074">289 U.S. 103, 53 S.Ct. 549, 77 L.Ed. 1062; Norumbega Co. v. Bennett, 290 U.S. 598" court="SCOTUS" date_filed="1933-11-20" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/jefferson-county-v-hard-8149709?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="8149709">290 U.S. 598, 54 S. Ct. 207" court="SCOTUS" date_filed="1933-12-04" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/norumbega-co-v-bennett-8149710?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="8149710">54 S.Ct. 207, 78 L.Ed. 526.
Where the court has no jurisdiction it has no power to impose costs. Blacklock v. Small, 127 U.S. 96" court="SCOTUS" date_filed="1888-04-23" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/blacklock-v-small-92231?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="92231">127 U.S. 96, 8 S.Ct. 1096, 32 L.Ed. 70; Citizens’ Bank v. Cannon, 164 U.S. 319" court="SCOTUS" date_filed="1896-11-30" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/citizens-bank-v-cannon-94546?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="94546">164 U.S. 319, 17 S.Ct. 89, 41 L.Ed. 451; Lion Bonding Co. v. Karatz, 262 U.S. 640" court="SCOTUS" date_filed="1923-05-21" href="https://app.midpage.ai/document/lion-bonding--surety-co-v-karatz-100250?utm_source=webapp" opinion_id="100250">262 U.S. 640, 642, 43 S.Ct. 641, 67 L.Ed. 1151; Smyth v. Asphalt Belt
The applications of defendant and interveners for costs are denied.