PALMER v STATE

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No. 80-354 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA BURCH PALMER, Individually and as Representative of and on behalf of himself, et al., Plaintiff and Appellant, THE STATE OF MONTANA, Defendant and Respondent. Appeal from: District Court of the Sixteenth Judicial ~istrict, In and for the County of Custer. Honorable Alfred B. Coate, Judge presiding. Counsel of Record: For Appellant: Moses Law Firm, Billings, Montana Charles F. Moses argued, Billings, Montana For Respondent: Hon. Mike Greely, Attorney General, Helena, Montana Allen Chronister argued, Assistant Attorney General, Helena, Montana Keith D. Haker, County Attorney, Miles City, Montana For Amicus Curiae: Karen S. Townsend, County Prosecutor Services Bureau, Helena, Montana Submitted: Decided: February 18, 1981 2 4 1981 M r . C h i e f J u s t i c e F r a n k I . Haswell d e l i v e r e d t h e O p i n i o n of t h e Court. Burch Palmer b r o u g h t d e c l a r a t o r y judgment act i o n i n t h e S i x t e e n t h J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t Court, C u s t e r County, f o r t h e purpose o f d e t e r m i n i n g t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y of s e c t i o n 23-5-311, MCA. P a l m e r a p p e a l s f r o m t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t ' s o r d e r d e c l a r i n g t h e stat u t e constitutional. We affirm. On a p p e a l P a l m e r r a i s e s t h e f o l l o w i n g i s s u e s : 1. Does s e c t i o n 23-5-311, MCA, u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y deny e q u a l p r o t e c t i o n of t h e laws? 2. Is s e c t i o n 23-5-311, v i o l a t e s 1 9 7 2 Mont. C o n s t . , 3. MCA, Art. Is s e c t i o n 23-5-311, V., MCA, s p e c i a l l e g i s l a t i o n which § 12? void f o r vagueness? P a l m e r i s t h e owner and o p e r a t o r o f t h e A l t a S a l o o n i n Miles C i t y , Montana. On A u g u s t 8, 1979, t h e S t a t e f i l e d a n i n f o r m a t i o n charging Palmer w i t h conducting an unauthorized card game, s p e c i f i c a l l y a b l a c k j a c k game, i n v i o l a t i o n of s e c t i o n s 23-5-311 and 331, MCA. Palmer challenged t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y o f t h e s t a t u t e s , b u t t h e District C o u r t r u l e d a d v e r s e l y to Palmer a n d t h i s C o u r t d e c l i n e d t o i s s u e a w r i t of s u p e r v i s o r y c o n t r o l . The p a r t i e s t h e n s t i p u l a t e d t h a t t h e S t a t e would s t a y a n y f u r t h e r p r o s e c u t i o n proceedings i f Palmer brought t h e i n s t a n t d e c l a r a t o r y action. This appeal follows t h e District Court ruling i n favor of the S t a t e i n the declaratory action. S e c t i o n 23-5-311, MCA, r e a d s as f o l l o w s : " A u t h o r i z e d c a r d games: (1) I t is u n l a w f u l f o r a n y p e r s o n to conduct or p a r t i c i p a t e i n any card game or make a n y t a b l e s a v a i l a b l e f o r t h e p l a y i n g o f c a r d games e x c e p t t h o s e c a r d games a u t h o r i z e d by t h i s p a r t . " ( 2 ) The c a r d games a u t h o r i z e d by t h i s p a r t are a n d are l i m i t e d t o t h e c a r d games known as b r i d g e , c r i b b a g e , h e a r t s , panguingue , p i n o c h l e , p i t c h , rummy, w h i s t , s o l o , and p o k e r . " P a l m e r a r g u e s t h e s e c t i o n m u s t be d e c l a r e d i n v a l i d as a d e n i a l o f e q u a l p r o t e c t i o n b e c a u s e it d i s t i n g u i s h e s b e t w e e n d i f f e r e n t act iv i t i e s w i t h i n t h e same g e n e r i c c l a s s of c a r d games a b s e n t a n y r a t i o n a l b a s i s o r compelling state i n t e r e s t t o support the distinction. Palmer i n s i s t s t h i s s t a t u t o r y c l a s s i f i c a t i o n d i s c r i m i n a t e s n o t o n l y a g a i n s t c e r t a i n c a r d games, b u t a l s o a g a i n s t g a m b l e r s who d e s i r e t o c o n d u c t and p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h o s e u n a u t h o r i z e d c a r d games. N e v e r t h e l e s s w e f i n d t h e s t a t u t e a p p l i e s u n i f o r m l y acrossthe-board t o a l l p e r s o n s w i t h i n t h e S t a t e of Montana. c o n s e q u e n t l y no c l a s s i f i c a t i o n w h a t e v e r . T h e r e is Accordingly the equal p r o t e c t i o n a r g u m e n t is n o t p r o p e r l y b e f o r e u s , and w e need n o t e n g a g e i n e q u a l p r o t e c t i o n a n a l y s i s as s e t f o r t h i n S t a t e v. J a c k ( 1 9 7 5 ) , 1 6 7 Mont. 4 5 6 , 539 P.2d 726. I n s t e a d , w e need go n o f u r t h e r than S t a t e , E t c . v. District Court, E t c . Mont . , 5 9 1 P.2d 6 5 6 , 36 S t . R e p . 489, (1979), ( h e r e i n a f t e r Zander), in d i s p o s i n g of t h i s i s s u e . I n Zander we held: " C r i m i n a l s t a t u t e s need n o t a p p l y t o a l l a r e a s t h a t may be i n j u r i o u s t o p u b l i c h e a l t h and f a i l u r e o f t h e l e g i s l a t u r e t o d o so d o e s n o t c o n s t i t u t e d e n i a l o f e q u a l p r o t e c t i o n of t h e laws. ( C i t i n g case. ) D e t e r m i n a t i o n o r c l a s s i f i c a t i o n o f t h e s u b j e c t s of l e g i s l a t i o n d o e s n o t deny equal protection. (Citing cases. ) I f a l l p e r s o n s i n t h e same c l a s s a r e t r e a t e d a l i k e , t h e r e is no v i o l a t i o n of e q u a l p r o t e c t i o n . ( C i t i n g cases. ) Here t h e r e is b u t o n e c l a s s and a l l p e r s o n s w i t h i n t h a t class are t r e a t e d equally s a t i s f y i n g c o n s t i t u t i o n a l equal protect i o n requirements." 5 9 1 P.2d a t 661, 3 6 S t . R e p . a t 4 9 4 , 495. W d o n o t r e a c h a d e t e r m i n a t i o n o f w h e t h e r a n y , some, o r e a l l c a r d games s h o u l d be a u t h o r i z e d . T h i s is p a t e n t l y a q u e s t i o n o f s t a t e l a w f o r d e t e r m i n a t i o n by t h e l e g i s l a t u r e . The l e g i s l a - t u r e h a s spoken i n t h i s i n s t a n c e t h r o u g h i t s enactment of t h e C a r d G a m e s A c t , s e c t i o n s 23-5-301 e t seq., MCA. The A c t e x p r e s s e s t h e l e g i s l a t i v e i n t e n t i o n t h a t o n l y c e r t a i n c a r d games b y w h i c h p a r t i c i p a n t s v i e a g a i n s t o n e a n o t h e r , i n t e r -, s h a l l se b e a u t h o r i z e d and t h a t c a r d games w h e r e e a c h p l a y e r v i e s a g a i n s t t h e house are p r o h i b i t e d . The o b v i o u s l e g i s l a t i v e p u r p o s e i s t o ban casino-type Since the l e g i s l a t u r e has exercised gambling. i t s a u t h o r i t y i n a n e v e n h a n d e d f a s h i o n , it h a s n o t r u n a f o u l o f t h e equal protection doctrine. W t h e r e f o r e w i l l not i n t r u d e on e t h e l e g i s l a t i v e p r e r o g a t i v e under t h e q u e s t i o n a b l e t h e o r y t h a t t h e r e i s no p o l i c y b a s i s f o r t h e A c t and t h a t t h e l e g i s l a t u r e had no r a t i o n a l b a s i s f o r its enactment. Z a n d e r , 5 9 1 P.2d a t 660, 3 6 P a l m e r ' s s e c o n d a r g u m e n t is a c o r o l l a r y t o h i s f i r s t : t h a t s e c t i o n 23-5-311, MCA, i s s p e c i a l l e g i s l a t i o n which d i s c r i - m i n a t e s a g a i n s t b l a c k j a c k and t h o s e g a m b l e r s who p r e f e r t o p l a y blackjack. Palmer i n s i s t s t h e s p e c i a l l e g i s l a t i o n v i o l a t e s 1972 Mont. C o n s t . A r t . V, § 12. T h i s approach toward i n v a l i d a t i n g t h e s t a t u t e is e q u a l l y u n p e r s u a s i v e . I n A r p s v. 164-5, S t a t e Highway Commission ( 1 9 3 1 ) , 90 Mont. 1 5 2 , 300 P. 5 4 9 , 554, o v e r r u l e d o n o t h e r g r o u n d s , B u r g a n & W a l k e r v. S t a t e Highway Comm'n ( 1 9 4 3 ) , 1 1 4 Mont. 459, 1 3 7 P.2d 663, t h i s C o u r t a r t i c u l a t e d t h e f o l l o w i n g d i s t i n c t i o n between s p e c i a l and g e n e r a l l e g i s l a t i o n : "The o b j e c t o f t h e p r o h i b i t i o n o f s p e c i a l o r l o c a l laws is t o p r e v e n t a d i v e r s i t y of laws r e l a t i n g t o t h e same s u b j e c t . ( C i t a t i o n s . ) A l a w i s n o t l o c a l or s p e c i a l i n a c o n s t i t u t i o n a l s e n s e t h a t o p e r a t e s i n t h e same manner upon a l l persons i n l i k e circumstances. ' G e n e r a l laws a r e t h o s e which relate t o o r bind a l l w i t h i n t h e j u r i s d i c t i o n o f t h e law-making p o w e r , and i f a l a w is g e n e r a l and o p e r a t e s u n i f o r m l y and e q u a l l y upon a l l b r o u g h t w i t h i n t h e r e l a t i o n and c i r c u m s t a n c e s f o r which it p r o v i d e s it is n o t a l o c a l or s p e c i a l law i n t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l s e n s e . I' A s we have a l r e a d y n o t e d , s e c t i o n 23-5-311, MCA, makes it u n l a w f u l f o r - p e r s o n t o c o n d u c t or p a r t i c i p a t e i n a n y c a r d any game n o t s p e c i f i c a l l y a u t h o r i z e d . The s t a t u t e i s g e n e r a l and o p e r a t e s u n i f o r m l y and e q u a l l y upon a l l p e r s o n s i n t h e S t a t e of Montana. The s t a t u t e t h u s c l e a r l y is a g e n e r a l r a t h e r t h a n a l o c a l or s p e c i a l l a w i n t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l s e n s e . P a l m e r l a s t l y a t t a c k s s e c t i o n 23-5-311, grounds. MCA, on vagueness H e a r g u e s t h a t s i n c e t h e r e a r e no p r o v i s i o n s d e f i n i n g t h e a u t h o r i z e d c a r d games s u c h as p o k e r , o r t h e u n a u t h o r i z e d c a r d games s u c h a s b l a c k j a c k , it is n o t p o s s i b l e f o r a p r o s p e c t i v e c a r d game o p e r a t o r or p a r t i c i p a n t t o a d e q u a t e l y d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r a g i v e n game is a u t h o r i z e d u n d e r t h e s t a t u t e . W e need n o t a d d r e s s t h e m e r i t s o f t h i s i s s u e . The word " p o k e r " , w h i c h P a l m e r is h e r e a t t a c k i n g as u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y vague, is o f a n c i e n t and common u n d e r s t a n d i n g . P a l m e r is a p p a r e n t l y k n o w l e d g e a b l e o f t h e meaning o f p o k e r , a t l e a s t t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t b l a c k j a c k i s n o t encompassed w i t h i n t h a t meaning. A t n o t i m e h a s P a l m e r c o n t e n d e d t h e b l a c k j a c k game he c o n d u c t e d a t t h e A l t a S a l o o n was a v a r i a t i o n of p o k e r . Palmer's counsel a d m i t t e d a t o r a l a r g u m e n t t h a t P a l m e r and o t h e r s i n h i s p o s i t i o n i n f a c t r e a l i z e t h a t b l a c k j a c k d e f i n i t e l y is n o t a v a r i a t i o n of poker. S i n c e P a l m e r was n e i t h e r i n j u r e d n o r j e o p a r d i z e d by t h e a l l e g e d v a g u e n e s s o f t h e word " p o k e r " , h e n c e by t h e o p e r a t i o n of t h e s t a t u t e , he l a c k s s t a n d i n g t o c h a l l e n g e i t s c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y on t h a t basis. S t a t e v. K i r k l a n d ( 1 9 7 9 ) , 5 8 6 , 5 9 0 , 36 S t . R e p . Mont. 6 0 2 P.2d 1 9 6 3 , 1 9 6 6 ; S t a t e v. M c F a r l a n ( 1 9 2 7 ) , 7 8 Mont. 1 5 6 , 252 P. 8 0 5 . Af f i r m e d . Chief J u s t i c e Mr. J u s t i c e J o h n C. I dissent. Sheehy d i s s e n t i n g : I would f i n d t h e Card G a m e s A c t i n v i d i o u s l y d i s c r i m i n a t o r y and s t r i k e it 9ew.q.

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