# Swanson v. State

> Supreme Court of North Carolina · December 6, 1991 · 330 N.C. 390

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9614917

## Case

- **Full name:** NORMAN W. SWANSON, HENRY F. MURRAY, CARL L. WHITNEY, WILLIAM E. NICHOLSON, III, CHARLES A. DANCY, MELVIN F. EYERMAN, IRA N. SCHWARZ, JOHN L. POWELL, JR., GALINA ELWORTH, DONALD v. WALLACE, WILLIAM E. DENTON, ROBERT A. NISBET, WALTER J. BARTNIKOWSKI, RALPH P. HUNT, MARION B. ZOLLICOFFER, WILLIAM H. TALBERT, BILLY CLARK, WALLACE M. DAVIS, GRADY L. STRANGE, HAMILTON M. HOWE, MARY L. PRITCHARD, ROBERT B. CAMPBELL, BROWNING ADAMS, PRITCHARD G. ADAMS, WILLIAM H. ADAMS, EDWARD H. AND FLOSSIE P. ALLEN, JOSEPH A. ALLEN, RACHEL C. ALLRED, HELEN L. AND LEO I. ANCTIL, RONALD E. ANDERSON, CLARENCE P. ARMSTRONG, CARROLL W. AUSTIN, F.L. AUSTIN, JR., DONALD P. BAHR, PAUL BALLUS, CHARLES D. BARKER, SR., WALTER E. BARKHOUSE, EDWARD C. BARRET, JAMES L. BAXTER, RUSSELL W. BEARD, BERNARD L. BEATTY, RICHARD K. BELL, LEO E. BENADE, SHERMAN W. BETTS, JOSEPH H. BETZ, ROBERT L. BLEVINS, FRANKLIN M. BLUNT, TIMOTHY C. BOLICK, MARGARET C. BOONE, HENRY A. BOTKIN, ALEX BOURDAS, OLA MAY (TATE) BOVENDER, EUGENE A. BOWEN, LAVAUNE K. BREDA, MARLOWE G. BREDA, TROND G. BREKKE, LAURA B. BRENDLE, MILLARD BRIDGERS, CLARENCE M. BRIDGES, DORIS K. BRIDGES, CYRUS H. BROOKS, JR., DANIEL R. BROWN, K.A. BROWN, WILLIAM D. BROWN, BETTY P. BULLOCK, ROBERT S. BULLOCK, FINDLEY BURNS, JR., RAY G. BURRELL, RICHARD E. BUSH, JAMES M. BYRNE, NORMAN L. CARLTON, MATTHEW E. CARMEAN, FRANK CATES, J. CRAWFORD CATON, HARRY E. CHAMBERLAIN, VINCENT H. CHASE, PAUL F. CHAVEZ, WOODROW H. CHILDRESS, JOHN G. CHURCH, HERMAN L. CLANTON, ROBERT L. CLARKE, CHARLES C. CLAUSEN, SR., DENNIS E. CLECKNER, STEVE P. CLEMENIC, LACY W. COATES, RUCIA A. COBB, JAMES A. CODDINGTON, CATHERYN S. COLEY, LAURA K. CONDER, JAMES C. CONINE, MARSHALL G. COOPER, ASBURY COWARD, III, NEWTON P. COX, RUTH A. COX, BURNETTE E. CREASMAN, THOMAS J. CULKIN, HAZEL B. CURLEE, MILTON L. DAIL, BEATRICE G. DAVIS, BERNLEY S. DAVIS, DONALD M. DAVIS, ESSIE M. DAVIS, GEORGE E. DAVIS, ROBERT J. DAVIS, CLIFFORD H. DAWSON, CALVIN F. DEAN, ORIEN G. DEAN, JR., JACK M. DEATON, VIOLET B. DEITMARING, ARLEN J. DEVITO, JOHN E. DEVLYN, SARA E. DEVLYN, JOY E. DICKINSON, MRS. LEROY B. DICKINSON, JAMES E. DIFFEE, DELBERT R. DILLON, MARGARET H. DOPF, RAYMOND E. DOPF, LEROY M. DUFFY, CHARLES F. DUPONT, BOBBY R. EASON, DAVID EDMISTEN, CARL L. EFFLER, JOHN H. ELDER, JR., JOHN R. ELLIS, MANFORD G. FARR, RITA FESTO, JOHN J. FILAN, ANGELO A. FLORENTINO, ROBERT W. FOLDEN, OSCAR F. FOWLER, MELVIN W. FRITZ, WALTON E. FULCHER, ROBERT C. FULLER, WALTER E. FULLER, FRANK W. FURCHES, NORMAN CARL GADDIS, MARSHALL L. GADDY, THOMAS B. GARDINER, ROBERT F. GEISSLER, WILLIAM E. GENTNER, JR., THOMAS P. GINN, ROBERT W. GOODMAN, JOHN R. GORDON, BERNICE C. GRANDY, JR., STEVEN W. GRANDY, ROBERT J. GREEN, MICHAEL R. GREESON, JAMES H. GRIFFIN, THOMAS M. GROOME, JR., JAMES W. GROSS, ARTHUR S. GUNDERSON, HERT L. HANCOCK, JR., JAMES M. HARDIN, C. LEE HARRIS, HOWARD W. HARRIS, PAUL H. HARVEY, ROLAND R. HATCHER, HENRY S. HEFFLEY, JR., CARROLL A. HEFNER, CLARENCE J. HENSLEY, JR., RICHARD M. HERIOT, DORIS T. and NOVIS S. HERRING, VIRGINIA R. HILDEBRAND, MOZELLE L. HINSHAW, HERMAN J. HIPPS, RUFUS M. HODGIN, DONALD R. HOFFMAN, CHARLES K. HOFFMEYER, MARY R. HOLLAND, EDGAR P. HOLT, RAY HOMESLEY, NED A. HOOD, ROBERT H. HOOD, STEPHEN W. HOPKINS, CLYDE L. HOWARD, JR., KEVIN G. HUGHES, HARVEY R. HURST, SAM P. HYATT, JOHN L. IRBY, MATTIE B. IVES, FRANCIS JACOBS, RICHARD L. JARRETT, JACQUELINE M. JENNINGS, WOODROW W. JONES, DONALD L. JORGENSON, KENNETH R. JOSEPH, PATSIE W. JOSEPH, EVERETTE R. KELLER, BERNARD J. KELLEY, WILSON P. KEMP, HOWARD LEE KERR, MARGARET C. KERR, WILLIAM S. KETNER, DAVID L.G. KING, THOMAS M. KING, JR., EVELYN W. KINNEY, JOHN E. KIRK, PAUL E. KIRKLAND, SR., RAYMOND B. KLEBER, GEORGE M. KNOBL, JR., WILLIAM F. KNOPF, MAX v. KREBS, WILLIAM J. KUHN, JR., JAMES M. LANGSTON, JR., JANE W. LANGSTON, ELMER L. LASHUA, JOHN L. LATHAM, DANIEL M. LAUDERBACK, AUGUST R. LAWRENCE, FREIDA H. and NORWOOD P. LEWIS, HENRY G. and DOROTHY J. LILES, WALTER E. LINTHICUM, PHYLLIS v. LIPPARD, GEORGE LOTT, ROBERT P. LUCAS, ALLEN M. MABE, THOMAS S. MACELUCH, WILLIAM F. MARCUSON, JR., WARNER G. MAUPIN, LYLTON E. MAXWELL, OLIVER A. MAYS, ANDREW G. MAYSE, SAMUEL S. McCACHREN, ELIZABETH S. McCASKILL, ELIZABETH G. McDONALD, CLYDE W. McKIRK, DONALD D. McGUIRE, NORMAN H. McLAUGHLIN, DOY K. McPHAIL, WILLIAM RAY MEDLIN, JR., ERNEST E. MILLER, MARGARET H. MILLER, EDGAR N. MILLINGTON, HAROLD J. MITCHENER, EUGENE E. MOODY, DOROTHY C. MOORE, JAMES C. MOORE, JR., LUCIE E. MOORMAN, ROBERT M. MOOSE, JACK B. MORRIS, REGENA E. MORRISON, STANLEY B. MORSE, WOODFORD T. MOSELEY, GEORGE R. MUSE, R.J. NETTLES, THOMAS G. NEWPORT, JOHN E. NITSCHE, ALFRED P. NORWOOD, JOHNNIE M. OCHOA, ELVIN E. OGLESBY, OLIVER G. OJA, RUSSELL E. OLSON, LLOYD A. OSBORNE, PAUL B. OSGOOD, WILLIAM C. PAGE, LEE R. PARAMORE, LEWIS W. PATE, CHARLES R. PATTON, VERNON J. PEEBLES, W.W. PEGUES, MARY E. and JOHN D. PENN, ELLIOTTE T. PERKINS, JR., WILLIAM H. PERRY, JR., PAUL J. PHILLIPPI, RICHARD L. PHILLIPS, RUBY A. PHILLIPS, FRANK J. PIAZZA, SR., DALLAS PICKARD, JR., GEORGE A. PINTER, EDWARD W. PIPER, FREDERICK H. PLESS, R.F. HOKE POLLOCK, JR., LEWINGTON S. PONDER, ELBERT Y. POOLE, JENNETTE C. POOLE, MARTHA BOYCE POTEAT, EDWIN H. PRICE, CHARLES R. PUGH, DANIEL J. QUESENBERRY, MILTON H. QUINN, LOUISE M. RABBINO, THOMAS M. RAMSEY, JACK G. RAY, MARSHALL G. RAY, HAZEL S. REDMON, GEORGE R. REINHART, III, ANNIE E. RENKEL, MADGE O. REYNOLDS, FRANKLIN E. RICHARDSON, JR., ALLEN W. RIGSBY, GEORGE M. ROBERTS, JENNINGS B. ROBINSON, JAMES P. ROTH, PHIFER P. ROTHMAN, HAROLD E. RUBLE, HILDA H. RULTENBERG, DONALD E. RUSSELL, GEORGE W. SABO, LYLE E. SAMSON, ROBERT L. SCHEER, FREDERICK L. SCHUERMAN, SR., ROBERT J. SCHULLERY, EL WOOD M. SHAULIS, ROBERT T. SHERIDAN, STANLEY T. SHIPLEY, CHARLES B. SHIVELY, CHARLES A. and RUTH M. SHUE, JR., ELSIE N. and FREDERICK E. SIMMONS, MARY B. SIMPSON, MANUEL F. SIVERIO, JOSEPH A. SIZOO, EVELYN S. SMITH, GEORGE B. SMITH, JAMES A. SMITH, JAMES E. SMITH, JAMES P. SMITH, JOE F. SMITH, PERCY H. SMITH, JOSEPH L. SOMMER, RAY H. SPANGLER, JAMES A. SPRANKLE, WILEY L. STANDIFER, JR., JAMES W. STARBUCK, GERTRUDE D. STARLING, STACY J. STARLING, HENRY C. STEED, JR., ROY C. STEELEY, ARTHUR L. STEWART, BURLENA J. STEWART, JOHN R. STEWART, JR., GEORGE W. STILLWAY, RITA M. STILLWAY, HAROLD E. STONE, CLYDE DALTON STOWE, HARRY H. STRUNK, E.C. STUMPF, THOMAS A. SUMMEY, JR., ELLIS G. SUMNER, LEO B. and MILDRED Y. SUMNER, MARGARET K. SWINK, JAMES E. SYKES, OLIVER B. TALBERT, JAMES D. TERRELL, CLYDE E. and EMOGENE M. THOMPSON, FRED L. TRACY, ROCCO H. TROMBELLO, JOHN G. TRUITT, JR., WILLIAM H. TURK, JAMES T. VANCE, FRANCES A. VANDEN, GEORGE W. VANDEN, ETHEL D. VANHORN, EDWARD J. VAUGHN, EDWARD VENKLER, ROY L. VICK, SR., KERMIT J. VINSON, MYRTLE H. VINSON, WILLIAM E. WADE, FLOYD H. WALDROP, WANDA E. WALLACE, ROLAND J. WEBER, GRACE F. WEINER, LONA C. WEISNER, LAWRENCE O. WELCH, PAUL B. WELCH, JR., GEORGE L. WESTERLIND, WILLIAM B. WHITE, T.M. WHITTINGTON, JR., GEORGE W. WILKINS, ROBERT S. WILLIAMS, JR., WILLIAM C. WILLIAMS, WINTON H. WILLIAMS, HAROLD P. WILLIAMSON, EDNA MAE WILSON, ROBERT GRAVES WILSON, JR., ERNEST G. WINSTEAD, PETER S. WONDOLOWSKI, ROBERT v. WOOD, MAYNARD B. and EVELYN W. WOODBURY, JACK R. WORLEY, JOHN T. WORRELL, GEORGE T. WORRELL, GEORGE E. YALE, JR., and WILLIAM P. YARBOROUGH, Individually for the Benefit and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Class a Plaintiffs, CHARLES L. BERRY, ROBERT D. LENNON, ZEBULON v. MOSELEY, III, GARY W. O’NEAL, MILTON S. PRICE, MARTIN L. SPEICHER and PAUL H. TURNEY, Individually and for the Benefit and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Class B Plaintiffs v. THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, HELEN A. POWERS, Individually as Secretary of THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE and HARLAN BOYLES, TREASURER OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, Defendants
- **Court:** Supreme Court of North Carolina
- **Decided:** December 6, 1991
- **Citations:** 330 N.C. 390; 410 S.E.2d 490; 1991 N.C. LEXIS 793
- **Precedential status:** Published
- **Opinion:** Dissent by Exum
- **Judges:** Webb, Exum, Mitchell, Frye
- **Cited by:** 8 later opinions in the Frix Law Library

## Citator (automated)

- No negative treatment found by the automated citator. That is not the same as a confirmation that the case is good law; read the citing cases.
- Full citator and citing cases: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9614917

## Opinion text

Chief Justice Exum
dissenting.
I joined in Justice Mitchell’s original dissenting opinion because I think, and continue to think, that Davis v. Michigan Dept. of *397 Treasury, 489 U.S. 803 , 103 L. Ed. 2d 891 (1989), is retroactive and plaintiffs are entitled to its benefits. That was the only issue addressed by the majority in its original opinion.
On plaintiffs’ petition for rehearing the majority has elected to address certain state constitutional issues which plaintiffs contend were never ruled on by the trial court. It is not clear from the record on appeal that the state constitutional issues were addressed and decided by the trial court. If the trial court determined the case solely on the basis of the retroactivity of Davis , its order would not necessarily have been written differently. The trial court would have necessarily considered the state constitutional claims only if it had rejected plaintiffs’ federal law claims. It is clear that the state law claims were neither briefed nor argued by plaintiffs on the original appeal. Neither side addressed these points in its oral presentation to the Court. Under these circumstances I think it inappropriate for the Court to address them now on plaintiffs’ petition for rehearing.
I would either remand the case for determination of the state constitutional questions as plaintiffs have prayed or order a reargument and new briefing on the state constitutional issues.
I take this opportunity also to say that I have real doubt as to whether plaintiffs have followed proper statutory procedures and it may be that, ultimately, their claims will be barred on procedural grounds. See Bailey v. State of North Carolina, 330 N.C. 227 , 410 S.E.2d 462 (1991). Since the majority has not chosen to address this aspect of the case, I, too, will leave it for another day.

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9614917. Public record. Not legal advice.