Sturm v. Seamonds, CC631.

CourtSupreme Court of West Virginia
Writing for the CourtMAXWELL
Citation9 S.E.2d 227
PartiesSTURM. v. SEAMONDS, Mayor, et al.
Docket NumberNo. CC631.,CC631.
Decision Date28 May 1940

9 S.E.2d 227

STURM.
v.
SEAMONDS, Mayor, et al.

No. CC631.

Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.

May 28, 1940.


[9 S.E.2d 227]
Syllabus by the Court.

Section eighteen of chapter fifty-seven of the Acts of the Legislature of 1937 (Code, 8-5A-18) provides: "All paid policemen, including officers, except chiefs of police, who have had four years' service, in any city or municipal police department, and who are employed by any city or municipality on the date this act takes effect, shall be construed to have been appointed under the provisions of this act and shall hold their positions in accordance therewith." The effect of this provision was to confirm in his position as member of the police department of the City of Huntington a patrolman who had been in service for more than four years prior to the passage of the act, though at the time of his appointment he was over the maximum age for eligibility prescribed by a regulation of the civil service board of the city, the patrolman not having misrepresented his age, and the board being informed of the facts.

Certificate from Cabell County.

Mandamus action by Harley O. Sturm against George R. Seamonds, Mayor, etc., and others, to compel respondents to grant relator retirement privileges and benefits as a lawful member of the Police Department of the City of Huntington. The circuit court sustained a demurrer to relator's petition and certified the matter for review.

Reversed and remanded.

Scott & Ducker, of Huntington, for plaintiff.

Okey P. Keadle, of Huntington, for defendant.

MAXWELL, Judge.

This case presents the question of the sufficiency of a petition for mandamus. The circuit court sustained a demurrer to the petition and certified the matter here for review.

The relator, Harley O. Sturm, is a policeman of the City of Huntington. The respondents, George R. Seamonds, Mayor of the City, R. C. Adkins, A. J. Baker, F. M. Mullins and L. J. Swann, are trustees of the Policemen's Pension or Relief Fund of that city. By bill in equity the respondents heretofore sought judicial determination of the legal question hereinafter considered. Their bill was dismissed because of lack of equity jurisdiction. Seamonds, Mayor, et al. v. Sturm, W.Va., 5 S.E.2d 788.

In his petition the relator alleges that on March 26, 1926, he was appointed patrolman in the police department of the City of Huntington and immediately entered upon the duties of his employment and remained in active service until March 12, 1939, on which date, because of physical disability, he made application to the respondents for a pension; that on medical examination then had at the instance of the trustees the fact of relator's disability was officially ascertained, but the trustees refused to grant him a pension because of alleged irregularity attending his appointment as a policeman in 1926, in that the relator was at that time forty-six years and eleven months of age, whereas, there was then in existence and effect a regulation of the civil service board of the City of Huntington fixing the maximum age for eligibility to employment as a policeman...

To continue reading

Request your trial
8 practice notes
  • Dougherty v. City of Parkersburg, 10475
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of West Virginia
    • July 30, 1953
    ...Section 20, Article 6, Chapter 93, Acts of the Legislature, 1945, are remedial in their nature. Sturm v. Seamonds, Mayor, 122 W.Va. 338, 9 S.E.2d 227. And being read in pari materia, both statutes should be liberally construed in order to effectuate the underlying purposes thereof. Sturm v.......
  • Craig v. City of Huntington, 18137
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of West Virginia
    • July 7, 1988
    ...of the Firemen's Pension or Relief Fund of the City of Beckley, 138 W.Va. 571, 76 S.E.2d 683 [ (1953) ]; Sturm v. Seamonds, 122 W.Va. 338, 9 S.E.2d 227 [ (1940) ]. In ascertaining the legislative intent, effect must be given to each part of the statute and to the statute as a whole so as to......
  • Cawley v. Board of Trustees of Firemen's Pension or Relief Fund of City of Beckley, 805
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of West Virginia
    • July 7, 1953
    ...creating a pension and relief fund for municipal employees should receive a liberal construction. Sturm v. Seamonds, 122 W.Va. 338, 9 S.E.2d 227; City of Norfolk v. Key, 192 Va. 694, 66 S.E.2d 479; Rockenfield v. Kuhl, 242 Iowa 213, 46 N.W.2d 17. But, the provisions of the statute here cons......
  • State ex rel. Williams v. Board of Trustees of Policemen's Pension or Relief Fund of City of Charleston, 12239
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of West Virginia
    • July 2, 1963
    ...Page 617 499; Greer v. Workmen's Compensation Commissioner, 123 W.Va. 270, 15 S.E.2d 175. See also Sturm v. Seamonds, 122 W.Va. 338, 9 S.E.2d 227. The challenged provision of Section 11, Article 5A, Chapter 8, Code, 1931, as amended, though retroactive in operation and effect, does not impa......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
8 cases
  • Dougherty v. City of Parkersburg, 10475
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of West Virginia
    • July 30, 1953
    ...Section 20, Article 6, Chapter 93, Acts of the Legislature, 1945, are remedial in their nature. Sturm v. Seamonds, Mayor, 122 W.Va. 338, 9 S.E.2d 227. And being read in pari materia, both statutes should be liberally construed in order to effectuate the underlying purposes thereof. Sturm v.......
  • Craig v. City of Huntington, 18137
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of West Virginia
    • July 7, 1988
    ...of the Firemen's Pension or Relief Fund of the City of Beckley, 138 W.Va. 571, 76 S.E.2d 683 [ (1953) ]; Sturm v. Seamonds, 122 W.Va. 338, 9 S.E.2d 227 [ (1940) ]. In ascertaining the legislative intent, effect must be given to each part of the statute and to the statute as a whole so as to......
  • Cawley v. Board of Trustees of Firemen's Pension or Relief Fund of City of Beckley, 805
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of West Virginia
    • July 7, 1953
    ...creating a pension and relief fund for municipal employees should receive a liberal construction. Sturm v. Seamonds, 122 W.Va. 338, 9 S.E.2d 227; City of Norfolk v. Key, 192 Va. 694, 66 S.E.2d 479; Rockenfield v. Kuhl, 242 Iowa 213, 46 N.W.2d 17. But, the provisions of the statute here cons......
  • State ex rel. Williams v. Board of Trustees of Policemen's Pension or Relief Fund of City of Charleston, 12239
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of West Virginia
    • July 2, 1963
    ...Page 617 499; Greer v. Workmen's Compensation Commissioner, 123 W.Va. 270, 15 S.E.2d 175. See also Sturm v. Seamonds, 122 W.Va. 338, 9 S.E.2d 227. The challenged provision of Section 11, Article 5A, Chapter 8, Code, 1931, as amended, though retroactive in operation and effect, does not impa......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT