81 Ind. App. 221 | Ind. Ct. App. | 1924
Complaint by appellees alleging that the board of commissioners of Fulton County, on petition of the requisite number of freeholder and voters, ordered the improvement of a certain highway under the county unit road law, the contract for such work being awarded to appellees, they entered into a contract for the completion of such work; that the commissioners appointed an engineer and an inspector for said
It is then alleged that on October 8, 1921, certain taxpayers of said county secured a second report from the said engineer and inspector to be filed with said auditor, which said second report stated that the work had been completed according to the plans, specifications and contract; that thereafter said taxpayers filed with said auditor a remonstrance against the acceptance of said second report; that the board of commissioners fixed
Appellants’ answer was an argumentative denial. A demurrer having been sustained to this answer, appellants excepted, and refusing to plead further, the court, after hearing the evidence, found for appellees and entered a decree enjoining appellants as prayed in the complaint. Appellants’ motion for a new trial being overruled, they appealed and assign as error the action of the court in overruling the demurrer to the complaint, in sustaining the demurrer to the answer, and in overruling their motion for a new trial.
Appellants contend that the action of the board which appellees were asking to be enjoined was judicial in character and that appellees remedy was by appeal and not by injunction. We think it clear that the board was acting in a judicial capacity. Southern Indiana R. Co. v. Railroad Com., etc. (1909), 172 Ind. 113, 87 N. E. 966; Board, etc., v. Conner (1900), 155 Ind. 484, 58 N. E. 828.
Appellees had a right to appeal from an adverse decision of the board of commissioners. Where the proceeding is judicial, it is manifest that the remedy is not by injunction, for a court will not, as a rule, enjoin another tribunal from acting in a matter over which it has jurisdiction, or where there is a right of appeal. Galey v. Board, etc. (1910), 174 Ind. 181; Board, etc.,
Buck v. Indiana Construction Co. (1923), 79 Ind. App. 329, 138 N. E. 256, cited by appellees is not in point. The acts there involved were administrative in character. Here they are judicial.
The proceedings sought to be enjoined being judicial and appellees having a remedy by appeal this action cannot be maintained. The cause must therefore be reversed because of the action of the court in overruling the demurrer to the complaint. Other questions have been discussed by the parties, but, in view of the conclusion we have reached, such questions are not and need not be considered as they are not involved in this action. It not being possible for appellees to so amend their complaint as to state a cause of action, the judgment is reversed, with directions to vacate all proceedings subsequent to the filing of the demurrer to the complaint, and then to sustain the demurrer to the complaint and enter judgment accordingly.