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31 Ala. 390

McDaniel v. State

Supreme Court of Alabama

Decided January 15, 1858

Supreme Court of Alabama · decided 1858-01-15

Tried before the Hon. William M. Brooks. The indictment in this case was found under section 771 of the Code, and charged that the defendants, who composed the court of county commissioners of Cherokee, had failed and neglected to discharge their duties as such commissioners, by not levying a county tax for the erection of a county jail; the old jail being, during their term' of office, insecure, insufficient in size, and not properly ventilated.

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently June 1991

1 state decisions

Key passage — most relied on by later courts

“"All assessments of taxes by the court of county commissioners, under section 704 (subdivision 2) of the Code [1852], are county taxes, whether levied for general or particular purposes. The special tax for the purpose of erecting a courthouse and jail, authorized by [the predecessor of § 11-14-10 ], is but a special county tax. Each of these species of taxes is embraced under the generic term, county taxes."”

quoted by 1 later decision, including 583 So. 2d 985 - Ex Parte Coffee County Com'n

“insufficient to pay for the erection of a county jail, it follows, that the . . . county commissioners . . . are not liable to the penalties prescribed by section 771.”

quoted by 1 later decision, including 583 So. 2d 985 - Ex Parte Coffee County Com'n

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1858-01-15

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

STONE,.J.

¶1— All assessments of taxes by the court of county commissioners, under section 704 (subdivision 2) of the Code, are county taxes, whether levied for general or particular purposes. The special tax for the' purpose of erecting a courthouse and jail, authorized by section 768 of the Code, is but a special county tax. Each of these species of taxes is embraced under the generic term, county taxes. The act approved February 17th, 1854, (Pamphlet Acts, 78,) provided, “thatthe county court commissioners of Cherokee county must not levy a county tax for said county exceeding fifty per cent, upon the amount of the assessment of State taxes for said county.” The statute employs the generic term county tax, and includes taxes both for general and particular purposes. It prohibits the assessment of a greater tax than fifty per cent, on the State tax, for any purpose. As this assessment of fifty per cent, was insufficient to pay for the erection of a county jail, it follows, that the members of the court of county commissioners of Cherokee county are not liable to the penalties prescribed by section 771 of the Code.

¶2Judgment of the circuit court reversed, and cause remanded.

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