State Ex Rel. Prairie County v. Leathem & Co.

On October 11, 1924, the county court of Prairie County entered into a written contract with an accountant to audit the books of all county officers. The contract specified the amount and terms of payments to be -made by the county as compensation for the services rendered. A citizen and taxpayer of Prairie County instituted an action in the chancery court to restrain the county officers from performing the contract, on the ground that the contract was void because, at the time it was entered into, there was no unexpended appropriation for the payment of general county expenses. That cause…