Carnahan v. Yocom

526 S.W.2d 301, 1975 Ky. LEXIS 96
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedJune 27, 1975
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 526 S.W.2d 301 (Carnahan v. Yocom) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Carnahan v. Yocom, 526 S.W.2d 301, 1975 Ky. LEXIS 96 (Ky. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

CATINNA, Commissioner.

The Workmen’s Compensation Board, upon a determination that Robert Carnahan was afflicted with pneumoconiosis, awarded [302]*302him total and permanent disability benefits adjudging that such benefits be paid by the Special Fund. Upon the appeal of the Special Fund to the Clay Circuit Court, the trial judge, on motion of the Special Fund, entered a default judgment in conformity with the pleadings of the Fund and remanded the case to the Workmen’s Compensation Board for proceedings consistent with the Fund’s motion to reopen and the taking of proof.

Carnahan appeals from this default judgment, claiming that:

“I. The trial court erred in granting a default judgment in an appeal of an order of the Workmen’s Compensation Board;
II. In an appeal to circuit court from an order of the Workmen’s Compensation Board it is not necessary to file an answer under KRS 342.285(2);
III. It was an abuse of discretion to grant a default judgment where a motion to dismiss and an answer had been tendered shortly after the expiration of the fifteen day time period under KRS 342.285(2).”

The claim that the granting of a default judgment was not permitted under CR 55.01 in that the Special Fund, in prosecuting its appeal, did not seek affirmative relief is without merit. Common sense tells us that when a party, by appeal or otherwise, seeks relief from a judgment requiring it to pay money the relief sought is definitely affirmative.

The question regarding the necessity of an answer in workmen’s compensation appeals and the granting of a default where a motion to dismiss for failure to state a cause is pending requires that the proceedings before the Clay Circuit Court be detailed in chronological order.

On January 26, 1974, the Special Fund filed its “petition for review” asserting as one ground for reversal that the award had been procured by fraud on the part of the complainant. The petition for review asked that the court set aside the prior award to the claimant and the order of the Board denying its motion to reopen because of a mistake and/or fraud. Finally, the Special Fund asked that the court remand the action to the Board for proceedings consistent with its motion to reopen and the taking of proof. A summons was issued and the claimant properly served.

The petition for review, as filed by the Special Fund, complied with KRS 342.285 in all respects other than the fact that the clerk, in issuing the summons, made it returnable in twenty days instead of fifteen days. KRS 342.285(2) provides:

“The petition shall state fully the grounds upon which a review is sought, and assign all errors relied on. Summons shall issue upon the petition directing the adverse party to file answer within fifteen (15) days after service thereof and directing the board to send its entire original record, properly bound, * *
(Emphasis ours.)

This section of the statute specifically requires the issuance of a summons directing the adverse party to file an answer. No answer was tendered prior to the Special Fund’s motion for a default judgment. On February 21, 1974, Carnahan filed his motion to dismiss the petition for review on the ground that it did not state a claim upon which relief could be granted. Although there was a certificate of service on the motion, there was no notice concerning the date when the motion to dismiss would be brought on for hearing before the court.

On April 3, 1974, the Special Fund filed a motion that it be permitted to submit a brief, which brief was filed. Carnahan did not file a response or take any action on this motion, nor did he tender or offer to file a responsive brief. On May 27, 1974, the Special Fund filed a motion asking that a default judgment be entered. This motion was served on the claimant on May 22, 1974, and was noticed for a hearing before the court on May 29, 1974. On May 29, 1974, Carnahan filed a response to the mo[303]*303tion. He asserted that the summons had been improperly issued, that the motion for default judgment had been improperly drawn, that it was not necessary that an answer be filed, and that a motion to dismiss had been filed on February 21, 1974. However, no effort was made to renew the motion to dismiss or seek a ruling on the part of the court.

On June 14, 1974, the Special Fund filed its memorandum of authorities on its motion. On June 17, 1974, Carnahan filed a memorandum of authorities in opposition to the Fund’s motion and at the same time tendered an answer. The tendered answer did not seek to renew the previously filed motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim, nor in any way seek a hearing upon the motion.

On August 1,1974, the Clay Circuit Court entered a default judgment “in conformity with the pleadings in this case and the case remanded to the Kentucky Workmen’s Compensation Board for proceedings consistent with the motion to reopen and the taking of proof.”

Carnahan seeks to avoid a default by asserting that it was not mandatory that he file an answer in the proceedings before the Clay Circuit Court. Reliance is placed upon our opinions in Muncy v. Muncy, 242 Ky. 190, 45 S.W.2d 1034 (1932); State Highway Commission v. Westerfield, 257 Ky. 274, 77 S.W.2d 951 (1934); Glogora Coal Company v. Boyd, 293 Ky. 610, 169 S.W.2d 816 (1943); and Frazier v. Kentucky Jellico Coal Company, 296 Ky. 777, 178 S.W.2d 601 (1944). In these cases, all of which were decided prior to the adoption of our present Rules of Civil Procedure, we held that an answer was not mandatory under certain particular circumstances. In Muncy we indicated that even though KRS 342.285(2) directed a party to file his answer the filing was not mandatory and the time limit did not apply except in cases where it was claimed that the order, decision, or award of the Board had been procured by fraud. It was further stated that unless the fraud or misconduct complained of was that of some person engaged in the administration of the act the case was to be heard on the record as certified, and no new or additional evidence might be introduced. See KRS 342.285(3).

In Frazier, it was erroneously stated that Muncy held that an answer was not required unless the petition for review alleged that the award had been obtained by the fraud or misconduct of some person engaged in the administration of the act.

State Highway Commission v.

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Bluebook (online)
526 S.W.2d 301, 1975 Ky. LEXIS 96, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/carnahan-v-yocom-kyctapp-1975.