United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Copper Queen Cons. Mining Co. v. Arizona Board, 206 U.S. 474 (1907)

Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Co. v.

Territorial Board of Equalization of Arizona

No. 280

Argued April 26, 1907

Decided May 27, 1907

206 U.S. 474

Syllabus

While this Court cannot refuse to exercise its own judgment, it naturally will lean toward the interpretation of a local statute adopted by the local court.

The reenactment of a statute in the same words carries with it the presumption that the legislature is satisfied with the construction which it has notoriously received from those whose duty it has been to carry it out,

Page 206 U. S. 475

and this presumption is as strong as one that the enactors of the original statute which was adopted verbatim from one of another state knew a single decision of the courts of that state giving a different construction to the statute.

The construction by the Supreme Court of Arizona of § 2282, Rev.Stat., of that state sustained by this Court as to the power of the Territorial Board of Equalization to increase the total valuation of the property in the Territory above the sum of the return from the Board of Supervisors of the several counties, and to change the valuations of particular classes of property within the several counties.

The facts are stated in the opinion.

Page 206 U. S. 478