Collins v. L. M. White Contracting Co.

449 P.2d 54, 9 Ariz. App. 37, 1969 Ariz. App. LEXIS 356
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedJanuary 8, 1969
DocketNo. 1 CA-IC 196
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 449 P.2d 54 (Collins v. L. M. White Contracting Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Collins v. L. M. White Contracting Co., 449 P.2d 54, 9 Ariz. App. 37, 1969 Ariz. App. LEXIS 356 (Ark. Ct. App. 1969).

Opinion

STEVENS, Judge.

This opinion relates to a difficult procedural problem, that is, the authority of the Court of Appeals- to take action in the face of an opinion of the Arizona Supreme Court arising out of the identical claim when, at first blush, it may appear that the prior Supreme Court opinion has put the matter at rest. A brief recitation of the background appears to be appropriate.

Collins sustained an industrial injury on 7 May, 1963. The matter was processed by The Industrial Commission of Arizona to the point of an adverse award denying compensation. This award was entered on 3 June, 1965. After certain administrative procedures the award was reaffirmed by the Commission by its action of 15 June, 1966. Collins then sought the statutory review by certiorari and the matter was docketed in this Court as Cause No. 1 CA-IC 109. The matter was resolved by this Court’s opinion which was filed on 13 March, 1967 and is reported in 5 Ariz. App. 205, 424 P.2d 853. We quote from our opinion:

“The Industrial Commission filed a motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction in the Commission, which alleges that petitioner failed to file an application for compensation within one year as required by A.R.S. § 23-1061, Subsections A and D. We denied the motion to dismiss with leave in counsel to present the matter in their briefs at the same time that they presented the issues raised hy the writ of certiorari.”

The issue as to jurisdiction was not raised before The Industrial Commission but was raised for the first time in the Court of Appeals.

The matter of jurisdiction was again presented in the briefs filed in this Court. The file which was certified to this Court did not contain a form C-407, this being the claim form to be used by an injured workman. This Court reviewed the file when considering the merits of the appeal and held that under the circumstances disclosed in the file and recited in our opinion the absence of form C-407 was not jurisdictional. It is interesting to note that the contents of the record which was transmitted to the Court of Appeals was certified in the following manner:

“I, LOUISE SUTER, Secretary of The Industrial Commission of Arizona, do hereby certify that the attached file is the full, true and complete record before The Industrial Commission of Arizona in case numbered AY 17448-B, material to the issues presented.” (Emphasis Supplied)

It has been the experience of this Court in reviewing files similarly certified to this Court by the Commission that the Commission personnel are subject to the same human errors that other persons are subject to. We have found it necessary to request additional documents which were omitted from the file and which the file disclosed must have been presented to the Commission. We have found documents in files which were apparently misfiled as they related to claims other than the one under consideration by this Court. This experience is of significance to us in connection with the consideration of the issues now before us.

[39]*39Following the filing of our opinion, the Commission requested that the matter be reviewed by the Arizona Supreme Court and on 9 May, 1967, review was granted. On 15 November, 1967, the Supreme Court entered its opinion vacating our opinion and holding that the Commission was without jurisdiction by reason of the absence of the required claim form. The Supreme Court’s opinion reaffirmed the Commission holding of 3 June, 1965, denying Collins the right to compensation, this reaffirmance being based upon an absence of jurisdiction. The Supreme Court’s opinion is reported in 102 Ariz. at page 509, 433 P.2d at page 801. The published opinion recites that a request for a rehearing was denied by the Arizona Supreme Court on 12 December, 1967. A brief portion of that opinion will be hereinafter referred to.

The mandate of the Supreme Court was issued on 13 December, 1967, the original thereof being contained in the file now before this Court. The mandate concludes as follows:

“You therefore are hereby commanded that such proceedings be had in said cause, as according to the decision and order of this Court, and as according to right and justice, and to law, ought to be had.”

In the same claim file after the issuance of the Supreme Court’s mandate and on 20 December, 1967, Collins filed a petition wherein he petitioned:

“ * * * for a hearing on the issue as to whether or not a Claim Form C-407 was ever filed in the above entitled case.”

On 25 January, 1968, the Commission entered its order denying the petition. The order referred to the Supreme Court’s opinion and mandate. We quote from the order as follows:

“FINDINGS
“1. This Commission finds that it lacks jurisdiction in that the Supreme Court of Arizona has fuled (sic) that the Commission has ño jurisdiction in this case, and for the reasons cited in said case.
“2. This Commission is without jurisdiction in the premises and no useful purpose would be served by further consideration of the case.
ORDER
“NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the case be closed, and said Petition for Hearing be, and the same is hereby denied for lack of jurisdiction.”

This action of the Commission was brought before the Court of Appeals in a timely manner and the original file, as well as the subsequent filings, was again certified to the Court of Appeals. This cause was assigned this Court’s No. 1 CA-IC 196. We quote from the new certification:

“I, TERESA J. FLORES, Acting Secretary of The Industrial Commission of Arizona, do hereby certify that the attached claims file is the full, true and complete record before The Industrial Commission of Arizona in case numbered AY 17448-B (2 parts) material to the issues presented.” (Emphasis Supplied)

The Commission promptly filed a motion in the Court of Appeals to dismiss this new cause being the cause now' under consideration. Being confronted with a serious procedural problem and this Court believing that it was without jurisdiction, this Court entered an order on 25 March, 1968, which we quote in its entirety.

“ORDER OF TRANSFER TO THE ARIZONA SUPREME COURT
• “The petitioner was before the Court of Appeals in Cause No. 1 CA — IC 109. In relation to that cause, the Court of Appeals rendered its opinion which is reported in 5 Ariz.App. 205, 424 Pac.2d 853 (1967).
“In cause number 8985 PR the opinion of the Arizona Supreme Court in connection with the review of the above reported decision of the Court of Appeals was entered on 15 November 1967 and is found in 102 Ariz. 509, 433 Pac.2d 801. [40]

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Related

Collins v. Industrial Commission
455 P.2d 963 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1969)

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Bluebook (online)
449 P.2d 54, 9 Ariz. App. 37, 1969 Ariz. App. LEXIS 356, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/collins-v-l-m-white-contracting-co-arizctapp-1969.