Clark v. Riehl

Decision Date30 May 1950
PartiesCLARK v. RIEHL et al.
CourtUnited States State Supreme Court — District of Kentucky

Ropke, Goldstein, Lampe, & Poynter, Louisville, for appellant.

William F. Clarke, Freeman L. Robinson, Randolph A. Brown, Louisville, for appellees.

VAN SANT, Commissioners.

On September 30, 1949, a group of persons, being the owners of more than fifty one per centum of the property abutting upon Fairy Drive and Elfin Avenues, public, but not County or State, roads in Jefferson County outside of Louisville, filed a petition in the Jefferson County Court for the creation of a public road district under Chapter 184, KRS. The district, if established, would commence on Fairy Drive 140 feet east of its intersection with Chenowith Lane and extend eastwardly to the intersection of Fairy Drive with Chippawa Trail, an approximate distance of 1600 feet, and on Elfin Avenue it would commence at a point approximately 763 feet east of its intersection with Chenowith Lane and extend eastwardly to its intersection with Chippawa Trail an approximate distance of 900 feet. Neither the beginning point of the proposed district on Fairy Drive nor that on Elfin Avenue is at an intersection of either of those streets with any other street, road, or thoroughfare; each beginning point, however commences at the terminal point of an existing pavement in the course of each of the roads mentioned in the description of the district.

Appellants, who are owners of property abutting upon the roads comprising the district, demurred specially to the jurisdiction of the Court, filed a general demurrer to the petition, and answered, protesting the creation of the district. Evidence was heard on the protest and judgment entered by the County Court in accordance with the prayer of the petition.

Four arguments are advanced in support of appellants' contention that the judgment should be reversed. In view of our conclusion in respect to the first point argued, it is unnecessary for us to discuss the other three. The first contention is that the petition fatally is defective and the judgment creating the district is erroneous because the district, as described in the petition and which was incorporated by reference in the judgment, does not comply with the requirements of KRS 184.020 in respect to boundary lines. That Section reads:

'Sponsorship of road district; preparation of map, estimate of cost, and petition. A public road district may be established in the following manner: Any person or group of persons owning property abutting upon any public road (which is neither a county road nor a state road) in counties outside of and containing cities of the first class may sponsor the creation of such a road district. The sponsors shall first propare or have prepared for them a map of that section of such public road which they desire to have improved. Such map shall show the boundary lines of the road, the intersections with other roads and the terminal points on the road desired to be improved, which shall always be center lines of intersections with other roads, and shall set forth on such map the names of the owners of all property and the number of linear feet owned by them abutting upon such road. The sponsors of said road district shall also have estimated for them by an engineer, who must be a private engineer licensed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky pursuant to KRS Chapter 322, the approximate cost of constructing the improvements desired, together with a statement of the approximate cost which shall be borne by each owner of property abutting on the road, determined by the number of linear feet of property owned by each abutting property holder. Said sponsors of said road district shall also prepare a petition and shall attach to said petition the aforesaid maps and statements of cost.' (Our emphasis.)

In many cases, from the earliest decisions of this Court to now, we have construed the words 'shall' and 'must' as the case may have been, to have the meaning of 'may' and 'might', where the context indicates such was the intention of the Legislature or the draftsman of the instrument under consideration at the time. But where other words are used in connection with 'shall,' 'must,' 'may' or 'might,' which clearly indicate mandatory or directory construction, as the case may be, we have never ignored the force of the descriptive or qualifying language.

KRS 184.020,...

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15 cases
  • State v. K.E.L.
    • United States
    • Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals
    • July 10, 2020
    ...descriptive or qualifying language.’ " Stringer v. Realty Unlimited, Inc., 97 S.W.3d 446, 448 (Ky. 2002) (quoting Clark v. Riehl, 313 Ky. 142, 230 S.W.2d 626, 627 (1950) ). In determining whether a statute is mandatory or directory, "it is the legislative intent, rather than supposed words ......
  • Wikle v. Boyd
    • United States
    • Alabama Court of Civil Appeals
    • December 20, 2019
    ..."may not" have consistently held that the phrase is mandatory and not permissive or discretionary.’) (quoting Clark v. Riehl, 313 Ky. 142, 230 S.W.2d 626, 627 (1950) ); In re Denial of Application for Issuance of One Original (New) On–Premises Consumption Beer/Wine License, 267 Mont. 298, 8......
  • In Re Donald Brandt, Bankruptcy No. 3:09-bk-08066.
    • United States
    • U.S. Bankruptcy Court — Middle District of Tennessee
    • September 20, 2010
    ...‘may not’ have consistently held that the phrase is mandatory and not permissive or discretionary.”) (quoting Clark v. Riehl, 313 Ky. 142, 230 S.W.2d 626, 627 (1950)); In re Denial of Application for Issuance of One Original (New) On-Premises Consumption Beer/Wine License, 267 Mont.298, 883......
  • Vandross v. Ellisor
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — District of South Carolina
    • August 10, 1972
    ...to the word "must", Bateman v. Smith, 183 Tenn. 541, 194 S.W.2d 336, and is to be given an imperative construction. Clark v. Riehl, 313 Ky. 142, 230 S.W.2d 626; 39 Words and Phrases, Shall at 111. Here, then, the statute regulating the time for filing an intention of candidacy for the offic......
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