8 Gill 145 | Md. | 1849
delivered the opinion of this court.
Whilst entirely concurring in (he well established principle of law, that the judicial tribunals of this State ought never to declare an enactment of its Legislature unconstitutional and void, unless it plainly appears that the Legislature has transcended its constitutional powers, we think it manifest that the act of 1845, ch. 35S,is the exercise of such an unconstitutional power, by the General Assembly of Maryland, as renders it wholly inoperative and void. As decided by this court in the case of Crane vs. Meginnis, the legislative and judicial powers, under the constitution of this State, are confided to different branches of the government; the Legislature are incompetent to exercise judicial powers. The only question, then, which this case presents, is: did the General Assembly, in passing the act of 1845, ch. 358, assume the exercise of judicial powers? In perusing that law, it is impossible not to see that it has done so. By the act it is provided, “that the court of Washington county be and the same is hereby aulho
The agreement of the counsel in the cause, requires nothing more of this court than the expression of its opinion on the constitutionality of the act of Assembly.
APPEAL DISMISSED.