McQueen v. Kittitas County

Citations

• 115 Wash. 672
• 198 P. 394
• 1921 Wash. LEXIS 795

Syllabus

<p>Constitutional Law (49)—Police Power—Licensing of Dogs Reasonableness of Regulations. A statute providing for tbe licensing of dogs and payment of a fee therefor is a valid exercise of the police power, and does not violate Const., art. 7, §§ 1, 2, providing for equal and uniform taxation of property in proportion to its value.</p> <p>Same (100)—Class Legislation—Grant of Special Privileges. A statute relating to the licensing of dogs but expressly making its terms inapplicable to “cities of the first or second class regulating the licensing of dogs by ordinance”, does not contravene the provisions of Const., art. 1, § 12, prohibiting the granting by law to any citizen or class of citizens privileges and immunities which under the same circumstances shall not equally belong to all citizens.</p> <p>Same (126)—Due Process—Deprivation of Property. The due process of law clause of the Federal constitution (Amendment, Art. XIV., §1), and the special immunity and privilege clause of the state constitution (Art. 1, §§ 3, 12), are not contravened by a statute providing for the regulation and licensing of dogs.</p> <p>Same (129)—Due Process—Taxation of Property. Laws 1919, p. 27, providing for the regulating and licensing of dogs is not in contravention of the due process of law and special immunity clauses of the state and Federal constitutions, for the reason that it requires the money collected to be kept separate and applied to- the payment of damages caused by the depredations of dogs instead of applying the money collected to the general funds of the taxing power.</p> <p>Same (28)—Distribution of Governmental Powers—Jurisdiction of Courts—Justices of the Peace. Section 4 of the act relating to dogs (Laws 1919, p. 27), providing that claims for damages for domestic animals killed or injured by dogs shall be presented by the owner to the nearest justice of the peace for investigation of facts and determination of the value or the damages, and a certificate filed by su