Opinion

Ashcraft v. . Lee

  • 79 N.C. 34
Court
Supreme Court of North Carolina
Filed
Jun 5, 1878
Status
Published
Author
FaiRCLoth
On the bench
FaiRCLoth
Cited by
2 cases
Authority
More cited than 82.8%

The opinion

FaiRCLoth, J.

The Legislature has invested the township boards of trustees and the boards of county commissioners with full power and authority to order ¡the -laying out of public roads where necessary, and to discontinue such roads as shall be found useless, &c., &c. Bat. Rev. ch. 105, § 1; And by § 3 if any person shall appeal from the judgment

*35

of the board, the Superior Court shall hear the whole matter anew. The power here given is complete, and its- exercise is a discretionary matter with- the county authorities, with the right of appeal above stated. We see no authority for submitting-the question to a jury in the Superior Court unless as was suggested the Judge may call a jury to his aid.

There is authority whatever for bringing the matter before this Court, and if there was we should find much difficulty in deciding upon the usefulness or uselessness of a particular road, ferry, or bridge. It was not seriously contended that we ought to undertake it, but it was argued that we might say whether certain evidence was improperly excluded by Iiis Honor. We might do so, but for what purpose to the appellant, and what effect would it have ? The county authorities can allow or disallow these applications with or without the rejected evidence. The power is with them and we could not control it, and to direct the mere details would be utterly useless to the parties. The whole matter must remain where the Legislature placed it.

Brodnax

v. Brown, 64 N. C. 244 . The appeal is dismissed with costs.

Per Curiam. Appeal dismissed.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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