University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1969 Judicial construction of the Montana governorship by the Montana Supreme Court John A. Layne The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Layne, John A., "Judicial construction of the Montana governorship by the Montana Supreme Court" (1969). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 8581. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/8581 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. JUDICIAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE MONTANA GOVERNORSHIP BY THE MONTANA SUPREME COURT By John A, Layne III B.S., University of Montana, 1963 Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 1969 Approved by; Chairman, board of Examiners Date 6/ Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: EP39382 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMT Oissertation PuUiahang UMI EP39382 Published by ProQuest LLC (2013). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code uest ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 - 1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION ............................... 1 The Office and Powers of the Montana Governor ........................... 2 The Concept of a Strong Governor . 4 II. JUDICIAL CONTROL OF THE EXECUTIVE FUNCTION BY I4ANDÂMUS............................. S Introduction ......................... 8 Montana Decisions ................ 10 Cases from the Territorial P e r i o d ......................... 11 The Chumasero C a s e ........ 11 The Tanner C a s e ............ 13 The State Publishing Company C a s e ........................... 14 S u m m a r y ............................... 1 6 III. THE P0VÆR TO APPOINT AND REI40VE PUBLIC OFFICERS ............................... 1è The appointment Power ........ .. 18 The Power to Fill Vacancies . 19 What Constitutes a Vacancy? . 19 The Neill Case ..... 19 The Jardine Case .... 21 Length of the Appointee’s T e r m ................... 23 General ........ 23 The Patterson Case . 24 S u m m a r y .................. .. 25 The Power to Make Interim Appointments.......... 28 G e n e r a l ............ 28 The Nagle C a s e ........ 29 The Olsen Case ..... 31 S u m m a r y .......... 33 Abuse of the Appointment Power . 35 The Cutts Case ....... 35 S u m m a r y .................. , 36 11 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS (Contj_d. ) Chapter Page The Removal Power ..................... 37 Removal from Office Where Term Is Not F i x e d ................... 37 Removal ”for Cause” ............ 40 The Sullivan C a s e .......... 41 The Holt C a s e ............... 44 The Matson C a s e ............ 49 Summary ...................... 52 IV. THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS . $6 The Approval P o w e r ................... 57 Introduction.............. 57 Governor’s Approval of Legislative Enactments..................... 5# General ..... .......... 5Ô The Evers C a s e ......... 5Ô The Hay C a s e .............. 59 The Toomey C a s e ............ 60 The Vaughn C a s e ............ 6l S u m m a r y ..................... 62 Governor's Approval of Constitu­ tional Amendments ............ 63 G e n e r a l ..................... 63 The Livingstone Case .... 63 S u m m a r y ..................... 6? The Veto P o w e r ....................... 69 Introduction ..................... 69 The Item Veto ............ 70 Ge n e r a l ..................... 70 The Veto Case ............ 71 Summary . ................. 73 Proclamation Power to Convene Extra­ ordinary Legislative Sessions .... 74 The Governor's Proclamation . 75 The A. C. M. Company Case . 75 The Blackford C a s e ........ 77 The Governor's Message .......... 79 The Sweeney C a s e .......... 79 The Dishman C a s e .......... 80 The Pierson C a s e .......... 82 S u m m a r y ......................... 83 1 1 1 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS (Contj_d. ) Chapter Page V. PARDON POWER ............................... 8$ Introduction ......................... 85 Operation and Effect of Pardon . , , • 86 G e n e r a l ......................... 86 The Sutton C a s e ................. 86 S u m m a r y ......................... 88 Encroachments upon the Pardon Power . 89 Encroachment by the Judiciary . 89 G e n e r a l ..................... 89 The Reid C a s e .............. 90 The Sheehan C a s e .......... 91 S u m m a r y ..................... 92 Encroachment by the Legislature . 93 Ge n e r a l ..................... 93 The Bottomly C a s e .......... 93 S u m m a r y ..................... 95 Encroachment by the State Board of P a r d o n s ..................... 96 G e n e r a l ..................... 96 The Herman-Roy C a s e ........ 97 S u m m a r y ..................... 99 S u m m a r y ..................................100 VI. MILITIA POV/ER: EXECUTIVE USE OF TROOPS TO SUPPRESS INSURRECTION ................... 101 Introduction ......................... 101 The Use of Troops in Aid of Civil Authorities . ....................... 102 G e n e r a l ............................102 The McDonald C a s e .............. 102 Liability for Oppressive or Destructive A c t s ............................... 104- General ......................... 104 The Herlihy C a s e .................105 S u m m a r y .................................. 10? IV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS (C o n t M . ) Chapter Page VII. SUCCESSION............ 109 Introduction ............. 109 The Lamey Case ............ 109 Summary ....... 111 VIII. MISCELLANEOUS POWERS .............. 113 The Power to Call in a District Judge . 113 The Smith C a s e .......... 113 The Bennett C a s e ................ 115 S u m m a r y ........................... 119 The Power to Approve State Contracts . 121 The Hogan C a s e .................. 121 S u m m a r y .................... 122 The Discretionary Extradition Power . 123 The Booth Case .......... 123 S u m m a r y ...................... 124 The Power to Proclaim Elections .... 125 Introduction.................... 125 The Breen Case ............ 125 The Patterson Case ........ 127 The Nordquist Case 129 Summary ............. 131 IX, CONCLUSION . ........... ........ 134 GENERAL.BIBLIOGRAPHY . ......... ......... 144 APPENDIX . .......... 151 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This study analyzes what the Montana supreme court has said about the office and powers of the Montana governor. It examines what the judges have said the gover­ nor can or cannot do, and seeks to determine whether the court through its decisions has strengthened or weakened the office and powers of the governor. The focus of the study is on the mode of interpretation used by the court to resolve questions concerning the governor’s office and powers when it lacks clear and definite constitutional or statutory direction. Since 1920, there has been increasing recognition of the need to have a strong executive in state government. The hypothesis of this study is that the Montana supreme court, when presented with a situation wherein the constitution or statute lacks prima facie clarity concerning the powers of the governor, should exer­ cise a mode of judicial interpretation consistent with strengthening the office and powers of the governor. The study is justifiable for two reasons. It attempts to prove or disprove the hypothesis. But the more important reason is that in the next decade the fate of the 1 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 50 states as elements of the American federal system will depend upon how the 50 governors exercise their official and unofficial powers. We must understand every aspect of the governors’ office and powers, including what state supreme courts are deciding with regard to them» The Office and Powers of the Montana Governor It is necessary at the outset to discuss two basic questions concerning executive behavior. First, what ic the office and what are powers of the Montana governor? Second, what identifies a strong governorship? The office of governor is the highest elective executive position in Montana state government, with tenure for four years and various executive