45 Mo. 283 | Mo. | 1870
delivered the opinion of the court.
The plaintiff, as president judge of the County Court of Morgan county, sued out an alternative writ of prohibition, returnable at this term, and, in his petition, charges that the said Rice, as circuit judge of said county, at the suit of said Berkstresser, had issued his writ of mandamus against the justices of the said County Court, commanding them to allow the said Berkstresser the sum of
In February, 1869, defendant Berkstresser sued out of the Circuit Court the alternative writ of mandamus, above spoken of, which was made peremptory at the May term. The plaintiff asks for the writ of prohibition upon the ground that the Circuit Court exceeded its jurisdiction in its mandamus proceedings and in their manifest error. It is very clear that the proceedings in the County Court to change the road, or for a new road, did not comply with the lawn It is difficult to tell under which provisions of the statute the petitioners acted. They say that they wish a change in the road, and if that is their object, they could only apply for the change under the provisions of sections 56, 57, and 58, p. 1229, Wagn. Stat. But they have not complied with these sections; for it is not the petition of a person wishing to cultivate his land — no^notice appears, and there is no written consent
It is also clear that the action of the Circuit Court was erroneous ; but it is not so' clear that the plaintiff is entitled to his writ of prohibition. If the court, whose action is complained of; acts within its jurisdiction, but simply commits, an error, the writ will not lie. It is not to be confounded with a writ of error or of certiorari, and must not be permitted to take their place. Had, then, the Circuit Court jurisdiction over the County Court, by mandamus, in the matter of paying the damages assessed for the right of way upon a public road? If it had such jurisdiction, it does not matter, so far as this case is concerned, whether it has been lawfully or erroneously exercised. The County Court has the sole right of saying whether a road shall be opened, changed, or vacated, and the Circuit Court can not control its discretion in the matter. If a new road is to be opened, it has also the right of saying whether the damages, if any, shall be paid by the petitioners or by the county. If the court decides that the petitioners shall pay them, it ought not to order the road
.The writ is dismissed.