ÿWPC¡ …# VUNa %¯ 0(µbÝw.å4 ' 6 0J> 0Tˆ 0^Ü 0h: 0r¢ 0| 0† 0 1u¦ U, 0dG U,« U>× B)DC> AMU*Î Bø#v~8vÓ¶ D3‰ 0@¼ AOüÆK 0D D/U B„˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 (ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡- ù-ðEñòEóUôõÓ€ÿGav 3|xÿ2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d!!!!7Border 1dd€-"Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial d Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€ ÔÝ  ÝÔ€$ÔÔ€$ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€$XÔÌÌApril€19,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'@Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA:Op Monaco ÒÒ  BA:Op Monaco Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€X„d&ÓÑ#€Xd#ÑÔ€ ÔÝ  ÝÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ€ÑÑ7€fKXXdìdÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ  Ñ›BARBARA€N.€VINCENT,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPetitioner/Appellant,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àDavidson€ChanceryÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€€94„2823„IIIÌœVS›.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAppeal€No.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à01„A„01„9510„CH„00482ÌSTATE€OF€TENNESSEE€andà àà à)ÌÙ€€ÙœßL€#&";+'h|Ùþ{` ç `€€Lß›NED€œMcWHERTER›,€Governor,à àà à)ÌœRILEY›€œDARNELL›,€Secretary€of€State,à à)ÌCHARLES€œBURSON›,€Attorney€General,à à)ÌJOHN€WILDER,€Speaker€of€Senate,à àà à)ÌJIMMY€œNAIFEH›,€Speaker€of€House,à à)ÌWILL€BURNS,€Coordinator€of€Elections,à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àRespondents/Appellees.à àà à)ÌÌÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌà@ àAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CHANCERY€COURT€OF€DAVIDSON€COUNTYÌÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLE,€TENNESSEEÌÌÌà@ àHONORABLE€ROBERT€S.€œBRANDT›,€CHANCELLORÌÌÌBARBARA€N.€VINCENTÌP.O.€Box€11351ÌMemphis,€Tennessee€œ€38111„0351›ÌPETITIONER/APPELLANT,€PRO€SEÌÌÌCHARLES€W.€œBURSON›ÌAttorney€General€and€ReporterÌÌJOHN€H.€œREINBOLD›ÌAssistant€œAttorney›€GeneralÌCivil€Litigation€and€State€Services€DivisionÌ450€James€Robertson€ParkwayÌNashville,€Tennessee€œ€37243„0490›ÌFOR€RESPONDENTS/APPELLEESÌÌÌAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌÌà àà àà àà àà àHENRY€F.€TODDÌà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGEÌœBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€›€JUDGEÇBARBARA€N.€VINCENT,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPetitioner/Appellant,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àDavidson€ChanceryÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€€94„2823„IIIÌœVS›.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAppeal€No.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à01„A„01„9510„CH„00482ÌSTATE€OF€TENNESSEE€andà àà à)ÌNED€œMcWHERTER›,€Governor,à àà à)ÌœRILEY›€œDARNELL›,€Secretary€of€State,à à)ÌCHARLES€œBURSON›,€Attorney€General,à à)ÌJOHN€WILDER,€Speaker€of€Senate,à àà à)ÌJIMMY€œNAIFEH›,€Speaker€of€House,à à)ÌWILL€BURNS,€Coordinator€of€Elections,à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àRespondents/Appellees.à àà à)ÌÌà@ àòòO€€P€€I€€N€€I€€O€€NóóÌÌÌÓÓà àThe€petitioner,€Barbara€N.€Vincent,€brought€this€suit€to€force€the€captioned€œstate›Ïofficials€to€include€on€the€ballot€for€the€November,€1994,€state„wide€œelection,›€a€questionÏconcerning€the€process€of€œ€ð ðinitiation›€and€referendumðð€(I&R)€and€to€delay€the€printing€of€œsaidÏballots€until€the›€œquestion€of€the€contents›€of€said€ballot€was€judicially€resolved.ÌÌà àThe€Trial€Court€sustained€the€motion€of€the€respondents€to€dismiss€for€failure€to€state€aÏclaim€for€which€relief€can€be€granted,€and€the€petitioner€appealed€presenting€a€single€issue€forÏreview€as€follows:ÌÓÓà8 àà8 à[œW]hether›€the€lower€court€erred€in€refusing€to€hear€appellantððsÏlawsuit€without€trial€since€a€cause€of€action€was€stated.ÌÌÌÓÓà àA€motion€to€dismiss€for€failure€to€state€a€claim€for€which€relief€can€be€granted€admitsÏthe€truth€of€all€relevant€and€material€averments€contained€in€the€complaint,€but€asserts€that€suchÏfacts€do€not€constitute€a€cause€of€action.€€òòœCornpropst›€v.€Sloan,€óóTenn.€1975,€528€œS.W.2d›€188;ÏòòLeague€Cent.€Credit€Union€v.€œMottern›,€óóTenn.€App.€1983,€660€œS.W.2d›€787.ÌÌà àIn€scrutinizing€a€complaint€in€the€face€of€a€œT.R.C.P.›€Rule€12.02(6)€motion,€the€CourtÏshould€construe€the€complaint€liberally€in€favor€of€the€plaintiff,€taking€all€the€allegations€of€factÏtherein€as€true.€€òòœFuerst›€v.€Methodist€Hospital,€óó5€Tenn.€1978,€566€œS.W.2d›€847;€òòœHolloway›€v.ÏœPutnam›€County,€óóTenn.€1976,€534€œS.W.2d›€292;€òòœHuckeby›€v.€œSpangler›,€óóTenn.€1975,€521ÏœS.W.2d›€568,€òòœSullivant›€v.€Americana€Homes,€Inc.,€óóTenn.€App.€1980,€605€œS.W.2d›€246.ÌÌà àDismissal€under€Rule€œ12.02(6)›€is€warranted€only€when€it€appears€beyond€doubt€that€noÏset€of€facts€could€be€proved€in€support€of€the€allegations€of€the€complaint€which€would€entitleÏplaintiff€to€the€requested€relief,€or€when€the€complaint€is€totally€lacking€in€clarity€andÏspecificity.€€òòDobbs€v.€œGuenther›,€óóTenn.€App.€1992,€846€œS.W.2d›€270;€òòœSullivant›€v.€AmericanaÏHomes,€Inc.,€óóTenn.€App.€1980,€605€œS.W.2d›€246.ÌÌà àThe€failure€to€state€a€claim€for€which€relief€can€be€granted€is€determined€from€anÏexamination€of€the€complaint€alone.€€òòœWoolcotts›€Fin.€œServs›.,€Inc.€v.€œMcReynolds›,€óóTenn.€App.Ï1990,€807€œS.W.2d›€708.ÌÌà àAlthough€some€liberality€is€required€in€judging€the€scope€of€the€factual€allegations€of€theÏcomplaint,€the€issue€of€whether€the€complaint€states€a€claim€for€which€relief€is€available€is€aÏquestion€of€law€which€must€be€reviewed€and€determined€òòde€novoóó€on€appeal.€€òòUnion€CarbideÏCo.€œv.›€œHuddleston›,€óóTenn.€1993,€854€œS.W.2d›€87.ÌÌà àMandamus€may€be€granted€only€upon€a€showing€of€a€duty€to€perform€a€ministerial,Ïœnon„discretionary,›€act.€€òòState,€ex€rel,€Weaver€v.€œAyers›,€óóTenn.€1988,€756€œS.W.2d›€217.ÌÌà àBy€providing€in€the€Constitution€the€methods€of€its€amendment,€the€people€have€limitedÏtheir€power€to€initiate€alterations€in€the€form€of€government.€€òòMetropolitan€Government€ofÏNashville€and€Davidson€County€v.€Poe,€óó215€Tenn.€53,€383€œS.W.2d›€265€(1964);€òòWest€v.€Carr,Ïóó212€Tenn.€367,€370€œS.W.2d›€469€(1963).ÌÌà àThe€only€power€reserved€by€the€people€of€Tennessee€in€regard€to€change€in€theirÏgovernment€is€the€power€to€vote€on€proposals€of€the€legislature€or€a€constitutional€convention.€ÏòòWright€v.€Cunningham,€óó115€Tenn.€445,€91€œS.W.›€293€(1905).ÌÌà àThe€petition€contains€the€following€relevant€statements€of€fact:ÌÓÓà8 àà8 à1.€€On€January€14,€1991,€the€State€advised,€through€CoordinatorÏof€Elections€Will€Burns,€that€this€official€did€ð ðnot€€have€theÏauthority€to€approve€the€placement€of€I&R€on€the€statewideÏballot€in€1992,ðð€despite€sovereign€instructions,€via€petition,€toÏdo€so.€.€.€.€€Petitioner€and€the€other€citizens€had€not€wished€toÏòòcallóó€an€election;€they€had€attempted,€instead,€to€place€a€legitimateÏquestion€on€the€ballot€during€an€election€òòalready€óócalled€byÏgovernment.ÌÌà8 àà8 à.€.€.€.ÌÌà8 àà8 à4.€€On€September€30,€1992,€Mr.€Burns€said€by€telephone€that€heÏwould€refuse€to€comply,€even€if€presented€a€petition€signed€byÏ25€citizens,€including€plaintiff,€requesting€that€an€issue€be€placedÏon€the€November€1994€ballot.€.€.€.ÌÌà8 àà8 à.€.€.€.ÌÌà8 àà8 à6.€€On€August€16,€1994,€petitioner€delivered€to€Secretary€ofÏState€œRiley›€œDarnell›€petitions,€signed€by€25€registered€voters,Ïincluding€herself,€instructing€this€constitutional€officer€to€place€aÏquestion€on€the€November€1994€ballot.€.€.€.ÌÌà8 àà8 à€€€œ€€There›€was€no€way€for€the€people€to€use€the€petition€inÏTennessee,€the€Secretary€told€plaintiff.€€ð ðYou€can€talk€untilÍyouððre€blue€in€the€face,ðð€he€said,€ð ðand€I€still€canððt€put€an€issue€onÏthe€ballot€(through€the€petition€process).ðð€.€.€.ÌÌà8 àà8 àœ7.›€€For€three€consecutive€years,€legislation€has€been€introduced,Ïbut€not€passed,€by€the€Tennessee€Legislature€that€called€for€I&RÏto€be€addressed€in€a€constitutional€convention.ÌÌÌÓÓà àœAn›€affidavit€mentioned€in€the€petition€is€not€included€in€the€record€on€appeal.ÌÌà àAppellantððs€brief€cites€no€provision€of€the€state€or€federal€constitution€or€state€or€federalÏstatute€which€authorizes€any€citizen€or€group€of€citizens€to€œrequire€that€a›€particular€issue€œbeÏplaced€on›€any€ballot€submitted€to€the€voters.ÌÌà àAppellant€cites€Article€I,€ðð1€of€the€Tennessee€œConstitution›€which€states€generally€thatÏgovernmental€power€is€inherent€in€the€people€who€have€the€authority€to€found,€alter,€reform€orÏabolish€government€ð ðin€such€manner€as€they€think€proper.ðð€€This€provision€is€not€interpreted€toÏempower€twenty„five€citizens€to€compel€a€public€official€to€place€a€particular€question€on€aÏballot.ÌÌà àAppellant€also€cites€œArticle›€I€ðð23€of€the€Tennessee€œConstitution›€which€guarantees€theÏright€of€peaceable€assembly,€to€ð ðòòinstructóóðð€representatives,€to€ð ðòòapplyóóðð€to€officials€for€redress€ofÏgrievances,€or€other€purposes€ð ðby€address€or€remonstrance.ðð€€This€provision€is€not€interpretedÏto€empower€twenty„five€citizens€to€compel€a€public€official€to€place€a€particular€question€on€theÏballot.ÌÌà àAppellant€cites€82€œC.J.S.›€Statutes€ðð115,€p.193,€which€defines€the€terms,€initiative€andÏœreferendum,›€as€follows:ÌÓÓà8 àà8 àInitiative€is€the€power€reserved€to€the€people€to€propose€bills€andÏlaws€and€to€enact€or€reject€them€at€the€polls€independent€of€theÏlegislature.€€Referendum€is€the€right€reserved€by€the€ConstitutionÏto€the€people€of€a€state€or€local€subdivision€thereof€to€haveÏsubmitted€for€their€approval€or€rejection€any€act,€or€part€of€anÏact,€item,€section€or€parts€of€any€bill€passed€by€the€legislature,Ïand€which,€in€most€cases,€would€without€action€on€the€part€ofÏthe€electors€become€law.ÌÌÌÓÓà àIt€is€noteworthy€that€the€definition€of€both€terms€includes€the€expression,€ð ðreserved€œtoÏ(or€by)›€the€œpeople.ðð›ÌÌà àThe€Constitution€of€Tennessee€conveys€to€the€three€designated€departments€allÏgovernmental€power€of€the€œstate.›€€It€contains€no€reservation€to€the€people€of€the€powers€ofÏinitiative€or€referendum.ÌÌà àAppellant€cites€Article€XI€ðð16€of€the€Constitution€of€Tennessee€which€declares€that€allÏrights€stated€in€the€Bill€of€Rights€are€excepted€from€the€powers€granted€to€the€state€government.€ÏœHowever,›€nothing€is€found€in€the€Bill€of€Rights€to€empower€twenty„five€citizens€to€compel€aÏstate€official€to€place€a€particular€question€on€a€ballot.ÌÌà àAppellant€cites€òòIllustration€Design€Group,€Inc.€œv.›€œMcCanless›,€óó224€Tenn.€284,€454ÏœS.W.2d›€115€(1970).€€In€that€case,€the€controversy€arose€after€the€Legislature€had€submitted€toÏthe€people€five€questions€as€to€calling€a€constitutional€convention€to€amend€the€Constitution€inÏfive€particulars.€€Only€one€of€the€proposals€was€approved€by€the€electorate.€€The€suit€wasÏbrought€to€invalidate€the€legislation€and€enjoin€any€further€official€action€thereunder.€€AfterÏreviewing€pertinent€provisions€of€the€Constitution,€the€Supreme€Court€upheld€the€validity€ofÏthe€Act,€denied€the€injunction€and€said:ÌÓÓà8 àà8 à€€Thus,€it€is€seen€that€ð ðòòallóó€power€is€inherent€in€the€people,ðð€andÏthey€have€a€ð ðòòrightóó€to€alter,€reform€or€abolishðð€their€ConstitutionÏòòin€such€manner€as€they€may€think€proper,€óósubject€only€to€anyÏrestraints€imposed€in€the€Constitution€of€the€United€States€or€byÏthe€people€themselves€in€the€Constitution€of€Tennessee.€ÏòòCummings,€Sec.€œof›€State€v.€œBeeler›,€supra,€óó189€Tenn.€175„176,Ï223€œS.W.2d›€913.€€And€the€only€limitations€placed€by€them€uponÏthe€manner€of€their€exercise€of€this€right,€are€the€provisions€forÏamendment€above€referred€to€(Art.€11,€œSec.›€3).€€òòWest€v.€Carr,Ïóó212€Tenn.€367,€375,€370€œS.W.2d›€469,€472,€App.€Dismissed,Ï378€U.S.€557,€84€S.C.€1908,€12€œL.Ed›.œ2d›€1034.ÌÌà8 àà8 à€€It€is€clear€that,€by€these€provisions,€the€people,€as€the€reservoirÏof€all€sovereign€power€of€the€State,€have€delegated€to€theÏLegislature€the€authority€and€power€to€initiate€change€in€theirÏConstitution,€subject€to€their€final€adoption€or€rejection€byÏpopular€vote.€.€.€.ÌÌòòIllustration,€óó224€Tenn.€at€293„94.ÌÌÌÓÓà àBy€vesting€the€Legislature€with€power€to€initiate€amendments€of€the€Constitution,€theÏpeople€have€relinquished€the€power€to€initiate€change€while€retaining€the€power€to€reject€orÏapprove€any€change€proposed€by€the€Legislature.ÌÌà àNothing€is€found€in€the€cited€opinion€to€œrecognize€the€power€of€€twenty„five›€citizens€toÏcompel€a€state€official€to€place€a€particular€question€on€a€ballot.ÌÌà àAppellant€cites€82€œC.J.S.›€œðð114,›€but€quotes€from€82€œC.J.S.›€Statutes€œðð116.›€€The€quotedÏtext€relates€only€to€jurisdictions€wherein€the€people€in€their€constitutions€have€expresslyÏreserved€the€power€of€initiative€and€referendum.€€ÌÌà àAppellant€cites€òòœGatewood›€v.€Matthews,€óóKy.€App.€1966,€403€œS.W.2d›€716,€which€wasÏa€suit€to€restrain€the€submission€to€the€voters€of€the€question€of€reforming€the€constitution€asÍrecommended€by€the€œGeneral›€œAssembly.›€€Nothing€is€found€in€that€decision€to€empowerÏtwenty„five€citizens€to€compel€a€public€official€to€place€a€particular€question€on€a€ballot.ÌÌà àAppellant€next€insists€that€I&R€is€constitutional.€€This€is€not€the€question€in€the€presentÏcase.€€The€mere€fact€that€a€proposal€if€enacted€would€be€constitutional€does€not€make€it€the€lawÏof€the€land€until€it€is€enacted.ÌÌà àAppellant€insists€that€her€civil€rights€have€been€violated.€€The€petition€asserts€no€factÏwhich€would€constitute€violation€of€civil€rights.€€There€is€no€showing€of€any€denial€of€the€rightÏor€power€to€alter,€reform,€etc.€œð ðin›€such€manner€as€the€people€think€properðð€or€in€the€mannerÏprovided€by€the€people€in€their€constitution.€€Neither€is€there€any€showing€of€any€denial€of€theÏright€to€apply€for€redress.ÌÌà àIn€addition€to€the€failure€to€assert€facts€to€justify€any€relief,€the€complaint€fails€toÏdemonstrate€that€the€captioned€defendants€or€any€of€them€has€a€ministerial€duty€to€place€aÏquestion€on€a€œstate„wide›€ballot€œupon€the€request€of€twenty„five›€œcitizens.›€€Thus,€no€grounds€ofÏmandamus€are€shown.ÌÌà àFor€the€reasons€stated,€the€judgment€of€the€Trial€œCourt›€is€affirmed.€€Costs€of€this€appealÏare€taxed€against€the€petitioner„appellant.€€The€cause€is€remanded€to€the€Trial€Court€forÏappropriate€further€proceedings.ÌÌÌà àAffirmed€and€Remanded.ÌÓÓœÌÌ›à àà àà àà àà àà à_______________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àHENRY€F.€TODDÌà àà àà àà àà àà àPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ_____________________________________ÌSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGEÌÌÌœ_____________________________________ÌBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGE›