State Ex Rel. Bagley v. Blankenship

The ship of state seems to have entered upon a sea of troubled waters. The West Virginia Legislature, whose members are sworn to support the Constitution, is accused of violating the Constitution by decreasing five items in the Judiciary’s budget for fiscal year 1978-1979. The appropriation of funds for government operations and the enactment of the budget bill are clearly functions and responsibilities of the Legislature, but the Constitution, Article VI, Section 51, Subsection B(5), provides limitations on legislative action in the following language:

The Legislature shall not amend the…