Opinion · Supreme Court of the United States

Rogers v. Hennepin County

36 S. Ct. 217

Type
Opinion
Court
Supreme Court of the United States
Jurisdiction
Federal
Date
1916-01-10
Topic
general

Mr. Justice McReynolds delivered the opinion of the court. Three complainants, claiming to represent themselves and others like situated (numbering altogether 550), instituted this proceeding in equity against Hennepin County, Minnesota, and certain of its officers, in the District Court of the United States, seeking an injunction to prevent collection of a tax under forty dollars assessed against each of them, for the year 1913, on account of his membership in the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce. *622 Defendants challenged the court’s power to entertain the cause upon the ground that the amount in controversy as to each complainant is the sum charged against him and demands against all cannot be aggregated in order to confer jurisdiction. The District Court sustained this objection upon authority of Wheless v. St.

Citator

Cited by
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ROGERSv. HENNEPIN COUNTY,239 U.S. 621(1916)
36 S.Ct. 217
ROGERSv. HENNEPIN COUNTY.
APPEAL FROM THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE DISTRICT OF
MINNESOTA.
No. 411.
Argued December 6, 1915.
Decided January 17, 1916.
In an action brought by a number of complainants to restrain the collection of a tax separately assessed against each for under forty dollars, the aggregate exceeding the jurisdictional amount,heldthat the District Court did not have jurisdiction, as the amount as to each complainant was the sum charged against him, and demands against all could not be aggregated in order to confer jurisdiction.Whelessv.St. Louis,180 U.S. 379.
THE facts, which involve the method of determining the amount
in controversy in order to give jurisdiction to the District
Court, are stated in the opinion.
Mr. H.V. Mercerfor appellants.Mr. Lyndon A. Smith, Attorney General of the State of Minnesota, with whomMr. William J. StevensandMr. John M.Reeswere on the brief, for appellees.
MR. JUSTICE McREYNOLDS delivered the opinion of the court.
Three complainants, claiming to represent themselves and others like situated (numbering altogether 550), instituted this proceeding in equity against Hennepin County, Minnesota, and certain of its officers, in the District Court of the United States, seeking an injunction to prevent collection of a tax under forty dollars assessed against each of them, for the year 1913, on account of his membership in the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce.Page 622Defendants challenged the court's power to entertain the cause upon the ground that the amount in controversy as to each complainant is the sum charged against him and demands against all cannot be aggregated in order to confer jurisdiction. The District Court sustained this objection upon authority ofWhelessv.St. Louis,180 U.S. 379, and dismissed the bill. It committed no error in so doing, and its judgment isAffirmed.Page 1