Colorado State Board of Nursing v. Geary

954 P.2d 614, 1997 Colo. J. C.A.R. 1467, 1997 Colo. App. LEXIS 190, 1997 WL 453738
CourtColorado Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 7, 1997
DocketNo. 96CA0970
StatusPublished

This text of 954 P.2d 614 (Colorado State Board of Nursing v. Geary) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Colorado Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Colorado State Board of Nursing v. Geary, 954 P.2d 614, 1997 Colo. J. C.A.R. 1467, 1997 Colo. App. LEXIS 190, 1997 WL 453738 (Colo. Ct. App. 1997).

Opinion

Opinion by

Judge PLANK.

Respondent, Sharon Reid Geary, appeals from an order of ⅛8 Colorado state Board of Nursing (board) wMch imposed restrietions Up0n her professional nursing license for a ^0^631. probationary period. We affirm,

Respondent is licensed in Colorado as a Professional nurse. In October 1994, the board brouSht disciplinary action against her f°r violating certain provisions of the Nurse Practice Act, § 12-38-101, et seq., C.R.S. (1996 Cum.Supp.).

[615]*615Following a hearing, an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) rendered an initial decision on June 27, 1995. The ALJ recommended that respondent be placed on a two-year probationary period and that she be required to attend remedial training.

On appeal to the Board, it adopted the findings of fact and conclusions of law contained in the ALJ’s initial decision and imposed the sanction recommended by the ALJ. This appeal followed.

I.

Respondent contends that she was deprived of procedural due process in violation of the Colorado and United States constitutions. In response, the board claims that this court is without jurisdiction to address her appeal. We disagree with both of these contentions.

A. Jurisdiction

Section 12-38-120(4), C.R.S. (1996 Cum. Supp.) of the Nurse Practice Act provides that disciplinary proceedings shall be conducted in the manner prescribed by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), § 24r-4-101, et seq., C.R.S. (1988 Repl.Vol. 10A).

Section 24-4-106(11), C.R.S. (1988 Repl. Yol. 10A) provides that judicial review of the board’s action may be directed to the court of appeals and that:

Such proceeding shall be commenced by the filing of a notice of appeal with the court of appeals within forty-five days after the date of the service of the final order entered in the action by the agency.... The date of an order is the date on which a copy of the order is delivered in person or, if service is by mail, the date of mailing.

The timely filing of a notice of appeal is a jurisdictional requirement. Widener v. District Court, 200 Colo. 398, 615 P.2d 33 (1980).

The record indicates that on November 14, 1995, the board’s final agency order was mailed to respondent at her most recent addresses of record. However, respondent has submitted an affidavit that she did not receive such notice. Meanwhile, on March 20, 1996, respondent wrote to the board and requested a copy of the final order, which was then sent to her again on April 19, 1996.

Respondent filed her notice of appeal on May 29,1996, more than six months after the first copy of the final order was mailed, but less than 45 days after the second copy was sent to her. Respondent claims that she received only the second mailing and that prior to that time she had no formal notice of the board’s final action.

Here, a division of this court on June 14, 1996, denied the board’s motion for dismissal, in which the board contended that this court lacked jurisdiction because respondent failed to file her notice of appeal in a timely manner. Thus, jurisdiction has already been decided, and we decline to reconsider the issue.

B. Due Process

The essence of procedural due process is fundamental fairness. This embodies adequate advance notice and an opportunity to be heard prior to government action resulting in deprivation of a significant property interest. Mathews v. Eldridge, 424 U.S. 319 96 S.Ct. 893, 47 L.Ed.2d 18 (1976); City & County of Denver v. Eggert, 647 P.2d 216 (Colo.1982).

Respondent does not dispute that she received notice of the charges against her at a time when she was residing in Germany. Upon receiving such notice, respondent filed a motion for an indefinite continuance or stay of the proceedings. That motion was denied. On December 12, 1994, a hearing was set before an ALJ for June 6 and 7, 1995. Notice of that hearing was sent to respondent’s attorney.

Respondent’s attorney subsequently filed a motion to withdraw from the case. While that motion was pending, the hearing was reset for June 15 and 16, 1995. The record indicates that notice of the new hearing dates was mailed to respondent, at a slightly incorrect address, and to respondent’s attorney.

The ALJ subsequently permitted withdrawal of respondent’s attorney, who then mailed to respondent at her correct last known address a copy of the notice of new hearing dates.

[616]*616On May 29, 1995, respondent sent to the ALJ a letter and an audiotape in which she again asked for postponement of the hearing until she could be “officially notified and given time to prepare.” She indicated that she believed the hearing was scheduled for June 5 and 6,1995.

A status conference was held on June 7, 1995. In view of respondent’s assertions and the typographical error with respect to respondent’s address, a question arose as to whether she had been properly served with notice of the June 15 and 16 hearing dates. A decision on respondent’s request for postponement was held in abeyance to allow the board to put on evidence concerning service of the notice of new hearing dates.

On June 15,1995, a hearing commenced to hear such evidence. Respondent did not appear. Her former attorney testified that he sent her a letter and a copy of the notice of new hearing dates.

The ALJ found as follows: that respondent’s copy of the notice of new hearing dates was erroneously mailed to a slightly incorrect address; that respondent’s former counsel mailed to her correct last known address in Germany a copy of the notice of new hearing dates; that this mailing was not returned to respondent’s former counsel; that respondent supplied no credible evidence that she did not receive actual notice of the new hearing dates; and that through former counsel she was timely and properly served with notice of the dates and location of the new hearing.

The ALJ further found that respondent’s “unsupported and unpersuasive assertions of lack of actual notice” of the new hearing dates “have not overcome the presumption of proper service and actual receipt” which exists because “respondent was timely served by mailing the notice of new hearing dates by first class mail to [the] last address furnished by respondent to the board.”

The ALJ concluded that respondent had received adequate notice of the new hearing dates pursuant to requirements of due process and the APA. The hearing then proceeded on the merits. The ALJ considered a tape recording and exhibits submitted by respondent.

Unless contrary to the weight of the evidence, a hearing officer’s determinations of evidentiary fact cannot be set aside by a reviewing court. Section 24-4-105(15)(b), C.R.S. (1988 Repl.Vol. 10A). Here, the ALJ’s findings were adopted by the board, and, because they are supported by substantial evidence in the record before us, we conclude that respondent was given notice and the opportunity to be heard. See Samaritan Institute v. Prince-Walker, 883 P.2d 3 (Colo.1994).

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Related

Mathews v. Eldridge
424 U.S. 319 (Supreme Court, 1976)
City and County of Denver v. Eggert
647 P.2d 216 (Supreme Court of Colorado, 1982)
Colorado State Board of Medical Examiners v. Boyle
924 P.2d 1113 (Colorado Court of Appeals, 1996)
Widener v. DISTRICT COURT OF CTY. OF JEFFERSON
615 P.2d 33 (Supreme Court of Colorado, 1980)
Samaritan Institute v. Prince-Walker
883 P.2d 3 (Supreme Court of Colorado, 1994)
Norton v. Colorado State Board of Medical Examiners
821 P.2d 897 (Colorado Court of Appeals, 1991)

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954 P.2d 614, 1997 Colo. J. C.A.R. 1467, 1997 Colo. App. LEXIS 190, 1997 WL 453738, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/colorado-state-board-of-nursing-v-geary-coloctapp-1997.