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Thompson v. ReedThompson v. Reed

Supreme Court of Iowa
Jun 15, 1870
Reporters:
Before:
Williams
Williams, J.

The question in this case is, has the circuit court jurisdiction of a suit where ‍‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‍the remedy sought is by certiorari. No recital of facts is necessary to precede the decision of the question.

The circuit court is of limited jurisdiction — limited by the act creating the ‍‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‍court. If it were not so provided *118in the act, the circuit court could not hear appeals from justices of the peace. Certiorari is only a mode of redress where the more common remedy by ‍‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‍appeal is not provided. Appellate jurisdiction is not conferred by giving a court original jurisdiction in civil actions. Certiorari is a “special proceeding.” See sections 2606, 2607 of the Eevision.

In cases of ad quod ‍‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‍damnum,, and of partition, which are special proceedings, the jurisdiction is specifically conferred upon the circuit court. ‘The writ of certiorari is not mentioned. According to the well-known rule of interpretation, jurisdiction is not conferred. ‍‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‍See chapter 86, acts of 12th general assembly, and sections 3487 and 3488 of the Eevision.

Affirmed.

Case Details

Case Name: Thompson v. Reed
Court Name: Supreme Court of Iowa
Date Published: Jun 15, 1870
Citation: 29 Iowa 117
Court Abbreviation: Iowa
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