City of Birmingham v. Hoffman & Robinson

This is an appeal from the final decree of the circuit court, in equity, in favor of respondents in a suit by the City of Birmingham. It is controlled by the question of whether respondents were liable to the city for the amount of a certain license charge claimed by the city for several years on account of the line of business in which respondents were engaged. The trial was had on evidence taken orally before the judge who rendered the decree.

The city is claiming that respondents have engaged in conducting a “junk yard” or “junk business”, and are subject to a license fee fixed by a…