Law Commons^™

Equity-Injunctions - Enjoining Police Officers

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff asked for a temporary injunction restraining the defendant sheriff from raiding or otherwise interfering with a "marathon" dance contest conducted in a regularly licensed dance hall. No statute making such contests illegal was cited by the defendant. There was considerable evidence that the sheriff, who had formerly approved of the marathon, was using his authority to extort $5,000 from the plaintiff. Held, equity can restrain officers from extra-judicial condemnation by physical means, such as raids and continuous trespasses destroying the plaintiff's business, on the mere claim that the criminal law may be violated. Ruty v. Huelsenbeck (N. …