Opinion

Ex Parte Bd. of Dental Examiners of Ala.

  • 507 So. 2d 521
  • 1987 Ala. LEXIS 4256
Court
Supreme Court of Alabama
Filed
Apr 24, 1987
Status
Published
Author
Beatty
On the bench
Maddox, Jones, Almon, Shores, Houston, Beatty, Steagall, Torbert, Adams
Cited by
3 cases
Authority
More cited than 26.4%

The opinion

BEATTY, Justice

(dissenting).

What must a litigant demonstrate in order to obtain a preliminary injunction against a governmental agency? This question was clearly answered in City of Huntsville v. Smartt, 409 So.2d 1353 (Ala. 1982):

“The law in Alabama has consistently been that the decision of a governmental agency, when made within the scope of the agency’s authority, will not be enjoined unless [it] was made arbitrarily, capriciously, in bad faith or as a part of a fraud. [Citations omitted.]

“The Court of Civil Appeals, in Hughes v. Jefferson County Board of Education, 370 So.2d 1034 (Ala.Civ.App. 1979), enunciated the standard against which to test an administrative agency’s action in determining whether there has been arbitrariness, capriciousness, bad faith, or fraud:

“ ‘A determination by an administrative agency is not. “arbitrary” or “unreasonable” where there is a reasonable justification for its decision or where its determination is founded upon adequate principles or fixed standards. [Citations omitted.]

“ ‘If reasonable minds may well be divided as to the wisdom of [an] administrative board’s actions, or there appears some reasonable basis for the classification made by the board, such action is conclusive and the court will not substitute its judgment for that of the administrative body.’ ”

409 So.2d at 1357-58 .

The actions of the board in this case were within its authority and, thus, this case falls squarely within the principles enunciated above. Accordingly, I must respectfully dissent.

STEAGALL, J., concurs.

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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