Scrivner v. Portis Mercantile Co., 4-9844
Decision Date | 30 June 1952 |
Docket Number | No. 4-9844,4-9844 |
Citation | 250 S.W.2d 119,220 Ark. 814 |
Parties | SCRIVNER et al. v. PORTIS MERCANTILE CO. et al. |
Court | Arkansas Supreme Court |
Ed B. Cook, Blytheville, for appellants.
John S. Mosby, Lepanto, James E. Hyatt, Jr., Osceola, for appellees.
This is a controversy between rivals who seek to lease, for farming purposes, certain sixteenth section school lands, title to which is still in the State. In 1951 the directors of Etowah School District offered the property for lease to the highest bidder. The appellant David Scrivner and the appellee Portis Mercantile Company submitted the only two bids. The directors accepted the Portis bid, but when the company's subtenants went to take possession of the property they found that Scrivner had already put tenants of his own on the land.
This suit was then filed by Scrivner and others, as taxpayers, against Portis, its subtenants, and the directors of Etowah and other interested school districts. The theory of the complaint is that there is no statutory authority for the leasing of sixteenth section school lands; the prayer is that the defendants be enjoined from exercising control over the property.
The defendants by answer, and the State by intervention, asserted prior peaceable possession on the part of the districts. By cross-complaint it was asked that Scrivner be restrained from farming the lands. Scrivner demurred to the cross-complaint and also moved to transfer the cause to the circuit court. This appeal is from an interlocutory order which (a) overruled Scrivner's demurrer, (b) denied the motion to transfer, and (c) temporarily enjoined Scrivner from occupying the land during the pendency of the action.
As to points (a) and (b) the appeal is premature, for there has not yet been a final decree. An order granting or refusing a transfer to law is not appealable, Womack v. Connor, 74 Ark. 352, 85 S.W. 783, nor does and appeal lie from an order sustaining or overruling a demurrer, without further action by the trial court. Atkins v. Graham, 99 Ark. 496, 138 S.W. 878. These matters may be considered by us only after a final decree has been entered below.
As to (c), an appeal may be taken from the issuance of a temporary injunction. Ark.Stats.1947, § 27-2102. But the granting of the order is a matter that lies within the chancellor's discretion. Riggs v. Hill, 201 Ark. 206, 144 S.W.2d 26. By his pleadings Scrivner concedes that the State owns the land and that he...
To continue reading
Request your trial-
McCuen v. Harris
...unless there has been an abuse of the chancellor's discretion. Smith v. American Trucking Ass'n, supra; Scrivner v. Portis Mercantile Co., 220 Ark. 814, 250 S.W.2d 119 (1952); Riggs v. Hill, 201 Ark. 206, 144 S.W.2d 26 We believe that the chancery court's analysis of the laches issue was co......
-
Wilson v. Pulaski Ass'n of Classroom Teachers, 96-1048
... ... Smith v. American Trucking Ass'n, supra; Scrivner v. Portis Mercantile Co., 220 ... Ark. 814, 250 S.W.2d ... ...
-
Price v. Edmonds, 5-1980
...exercise of judicial power.' 28 Am.Jur., 500, 501. We reaffirmed this holding in the more recent case of Scrivner v. Portis Mercantile Company, 220 Ark. 814, 250 S.W.2d 119, 120, in this language: 'As to (c), an appeal may be taken from the issuance of a temporary injunction. Ark.Stats.1947......
-
Smith v. American Trucking Ass'n, Inc., 89-232
...the granting of a preliminary injunction unless there has been an abuse of the chancellor's discretion. Scrivner v. Portis Mercantile Co., 220 Ark. 814, 250 S.W.2d 119 (1952); Riggs v. Hill, 201 Ark. 206, 144 S.W.2d 26 3. The HU tax In her order placing the HU tax collections in escrow, the......