United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Reitler v. Harris, 223 U.S. 437 (1912)

Reitler v. Harris

No. 99

Submitted December 13, 1911

Decided February 19, 1912

223 U.S. 437

Syllabus

A state statute which makes special entries in public records prima facie, but not conclusive, evidence of the validity of the proceedings referred to deals with rules of evidence, and not with substantive rights.

One is not deprived of his property without due process of law by a statute making entries in public records prima facie, but not conclusive, evidence, of the validity of the proceedings referred to.

A contract of sale of state lands, on which periodic payments are to be made, with forfeiture in case of nonpayment, is not impaired by

Page 223 U. S. 438

a subsequent state statute making the official entries in public records prima facie, but not conclusive, evidence of the validity of proceedings for forfeiture.

The statute of Kansas of 1907, c. 373, making entries of default and proceedings for forfeiture made in usual course of business in the records of sales of school lands prima facie, but not conclusive, evidence of the validity of forfeiture proceedings is not unconstitutional either as depriving one who had previously purchased land under the Act of 1879, c. 161, § 2, of his property without due process of law or as impairing the obligation of the contract under the Act of 1879.

80 Kan. 148 affirmed.

The facts, which involve the constitutionality of certain provisions of the laws of the Kansas in regard to sale of school lands, are stated in the opinion.