Decatur County v. O'Neal

(After stating the foregoing facts.) While all persons who deal with public officials are chargeable with the limitations imposed by law upon the powers of the officials, and where public money is, contrary to law, paid out by public officials, it may, in a proper suit, be recovered for the public benefit from any person to whom it has been paid, although, when receiving it he may have been in fact ignorant of the illegality of the payment, unless the person receiving the money may in equity and good conscience retain it, and the public can not in equity and good conscience be entitled to its…