Softich v. Baker ( 1976 )

No. 13385
I N THE SUPREME C U T O T E STATE O MONTANA
OR F H F
1976
T N SOFTICH, ADMINISTRATOR L B R
OY AO
STANDARDS DIVISION O T E DEPARTMENT
F H
O LABOR AND INDUSTRY,
F
P l a i n t i f f and Appellant,
GERALD & BERNICE BAKER, d / b / a
JERRY'S VILLAGE I N N ,
Defendant and Respondent.
Appeal from: D i s t r i c t Court of t h e Fourth J u d i c i a l District,
Honorable Jack L. Green, Judge p r e s i d i n g .
Counsel of Record:
For Appellant :
Mayo Ash l e y argued, He lena , Montana
For Respondent:
Mahan and S t r o p e , Helena, Montana
P h i l i p W e S t r o p e argued, Helena, Montana
Submitted: October 27, 1976
Decided : NOV 2 4 1978
M r . J u s t i c e Frank I . Haswell d e l i v e r e d t h e Opinion of t h e
Court.
The q u e s t i o n i n t h i s c a s e i s whether t h e Administrator
of t h e Labor Standards D i v i s i o n of t h e Department of Labor and
I n d u s t r y of t h e s t a t e of Montana can sue i n h i s own name t o
e n f o r c e t h e bonding requirements of Montana's R e s t a u r a n t , Bar
and Tavern Wage P r o t e c t i o n Act. The d i s t r i c t c o u r t h e l d he could
not. W affirm.
e
On February 9 , 1976 a complaint was f i l e d i n t h e d i s t r i c t
c o u r t , Missoula County, t o e n j o i n defendant from engaging i n t h e
r e s t a u r a n t and b a r b u s i n e s s a t Bud Lake V i l l a g e i n Missoula County
u n t i l defendant posted a bond t o g u a r a n t e e payment of employee
wages, pursuant t o s e c t i o n 41-2005, R.C.M. 1947. The named p l a i n -
t i f f w a s "Tony S o f t i c h , Administrator Labor Standards D i v i s i o n
Department of Labor and Industry". S o f t i c h signed t h e complaint.
Subsequently, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t dismissed t h e a c t i o n
" f o r t h e reason t h a t p l a i n t i f f i s n o t a p a r t y a u t h o r i z e d t o b r i n g
t h e a c t i o n i n h i s own namei1. P l a i n t i f f appeals.
The c o n t r o l l i n g s t a t u t e i s s e c t i o n 41-2008, R.C.M. 1947,
which provides :
"41-2008. L e s s e e ' s b u s i n e s s e n j o i n e d u n t i l bond f i l e d .
I f any person engages i n t h e r e s t a u r a n t , b a r o r t a v e r n
b u s i n e s s , a s l e s s e e , without having f i r s t f i l e d a bond
a s r e q u i r e d by s e c t i o n 5 [41-20051 of t h i s a c t , t h e
a t t o r n e y g e n e r a l of t h e s t a t e of Montana, t h e commissioner
of l a b o r and i n d u s t r y of t h e s t a t e of Montana, o r any
c i t i z e n , group of c i t i z e n s o r any a s s o c i a t i o n i n t h e - c o u n t y
where t h e v i o l a t o r conducts h i s b u s i n e s s may i n s t i t u t e
a n a c t i o n t o e n j o i n such person from engagi*g i n t h e
b u s i n e s s u n t i l compliance w i t h t h i s a c t has been met."
I n determining t h e meaning of a s t a t u t e , t h e i n t e n t of t h e
legislature is controlling. S e c t i o n 93-401-16, R.C.M. 1947.
Such i n t e n t s h a l l f i r s t be determined from t h e p l a i n meaning of
t h e words used, i f p o s s i b l e , and i f t h e i n t e n t can be s o determined,
t h e c o u r t s may n o t go f u r t h e r and apply any o t h e r m a n s of i n t e r -
pretation. K e l l e r v. Smith, Mon t . , 553 P.2d 1002, 33
St.Rep. 828; Dunphy v . Anaconda Co., 151 Mont. 76, 438 P.2d 660,
and c a s e s c i t e d t h e r e i n .
The p l a i n meaning of t h e words used i n t h e s t a t u t e g r a n t
t h e r i g h t t o i n s t i t u t e t h i s a c t i o n t o (1) t h e a t t o r n e y g e n e r a l ,
(2) t h e Commissioner of Labor and I n d u s t r y , and (3) any c i t i z e n ,
group, o r a s s o c i a t i o n i n t h e county where t h e v i o l a t o r conducts h i s
business. The a d m i n i s t r a t o r of t h e Labor Standards D i v i s i o n of t h e
Department of Labor and I n d u s t r y i s none of t h e s e . I n construing a
s t a t u t e , c o u r t s cannot i n s e r t what has been omitted. S e c t i o n 93-401-
15, R.C.M. 1947.
W have examined t h e o t h e r arguments and a u t h o r i t i e s c i t e d
e
by p l a i n t i f f and f i n d t h a t none would change t h e r e s u l t h e r e .
The judgment of t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t i s a f f i r m e d .
-
Justice
s i t t i n g f o r j u s t i c e Wesley
@::;'ls.