In Re Protest to Cert. of Title Brand

2010 OK CIV APP 121, 242 P.3d 578
CourtCourt of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedJuly 7, 2010
Docket107,456. Released for Publication by Order of the Court of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma, Division No. 4
StatusPublished

This text of 2010 OK CIV APP 121 (In Re Protest to Cert. of Title Brand) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Protest to Cert. of Title Brand, 2010 OK CIV APP 121, 242 P.3d 578 (Okla. Ct. App. 2010).

Opinion

242 P.3d 578 (2010)
2010 OK CIV APP 121

In re PROTEST TO the CERTIFICATE OF TITLE BRAND ISSUED TO AAAA WRECKER SERVICE, INC. on a 2004 Toyota DBS, VIN # 5TBDT44154S460009.
AAAA Wrecker Service, Inc., Appellant,
v.
Oklahoma Tax Commission, Appellee.

No. 107,456. Released for Publication by Order of the Court of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma, Division No. 4.

Court of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma, Division No. 4.

July 7, 2010.
Certiorari Denied October 18, 2010.

*579 David Dunlap, Dunlap Law Firm, Oklahoma City, OK, for Appellant.

Marjorie Welch, Interim General Counsel, Sean R. McFarland, Assistant General Counsel, Oklahoma Tax Commission, Oklahoma City, OK, for Appellee.

JERRY L. GOODMAN, Judge.

¶ 1 Appellant AAAA Wrecker (AAAA) seeks review of the Oklahoma Tax Commission's (OTC) order finding that AAAA was only entitled to obtain a "junk" vehicle title rather than a "salvage" vehicle title. Based on our review of the facts and applicable law, we reverse and remand with directions.

FACTS

¶ 2 A 2004 Toyota DBS (Tundra pickup), when first registered in Oklahoma was issued a "rebuilt vehicle" pursuant to 47 O.S.2001 and Supp.2009, § 1105(B)(3). It was later stolen.

¶ 3 Columbia National Insurance Company (Columbia) after paying the loss claim, issued an "Automobile Loss Notice" indicating the vehicle's loss of value as 100%. On December 19, 2008, OTC issued Columbia an "unrecovered theft" title pursuant to § 1105(B)(7).

¶ 4 On December 31, 2008, the stolen Tundra was found in Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma City Police Department requested AAAA to tow the vehicle. AAAA stored the Tundra for one year, incurring storage fees. AAAA sought to recover its towing and storage fees by foreclosing on the title and selling the truck at public auction, pursuant to 42 O.S.2001 and Supp.2008, §§ 91 through *580 132. AAAA published notice of the sale to Columbia, which demanded return of the vehicle without compensating AAAA or making any further efforts to recover the vehicle. AAAA sold the truck to a third party and requested a "salvage" certificate of title to complete the sale. OTC refused to issue a salvage title unless AAAA provided another statement of loss issued by Columbia which showed the loss of value of the vehicle to be less than 100%. Columbia refused to provide the amended statement and OTC refused to issue a salvage title. OTC's position is that the loss remains at 100% until it is notified otherwise; thus it can only issue a junk title. AAAA sued to force OTC to issue a salvage title so it can complete the sale of the truck and recoup its storage fees.

¶ 5 An administrative law judge (ALJ) conducted an evidentiary hearing. The truck was subsequently inspected. It was found operable and in "good" condition except for minor body damage, an off-center steering wheel, and a faulty air bag light.

¶ 6 On June 8, 2009, the ALJ entered an order containing findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendations. The ALJ found OTC's issuance of a junk vehicle title was correct and denied AAAA's protest. On review by the OTC sitting en banc, it adopted the findings of fact and conclusions of law entered by the ALJ and entered judgment accordingly, resulting in this appeal.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

¶ 7 Title 75 O.S.2001, § 322 sets forth those situations in which the District Court and this Court can set aside or modify the order of an administrative agency. It provides in pertinent part:

(1) In any proceeding for the review of an agency order, the Supreme Court or the district court, as the case may be, in the exercise of proper judicial discretion or authority, may set aside or modify the order, or reverse it and remand it to the agency for further proceedings, if it determines that the substantial rights of the appellant or petitioner for review have been prejudiced because the agency findings, inferences, conclusions or decisions, are:
(a) in violation of constitutional provisions; or
(b) in excess of the statutory authority or jurisdiction of the agency; or
(c) made upon unlawful procedure; or
(d) affected by other error of law, or
(e) clearly erroneous in view of the reliable, material, probative and substantial competent evidence, as defined in Section 10 of this act including matters properly noticed by the agency upon examination and consideration of the entire record as submitted; but without otherwise substituting its judgment as to the weight of the evidence for that of the agency on question of fact; or
(f) arbitrary or capricious; or
(g) because findings of fact, upon issues essential to the decision were not made although requested.

¶ 8 Appellate courts review the entire record made before an administrative agency acting in its adjudicatory capacity to determine whether the findings and conclusions set forth in the agency order are supported by substantial evidence. Dugger v. State ex rel. Oklahoma Tax Comm'n, 1992 OK 105, ¶ 9, 834 P.2d 964, 968. Adjudicatory orders will be affirmed if the record contains substantial evidence in support of the facts upon which the decision is based, and if the order is otherwise free of error. Id.

¶ 9 In determining whether an administrative agency's findings and conclusions are supported by substantial evidence, the reviewing court will consider all the evidence including that which fairly detracts from its weight. State ex rel. Cartwright v. Oklahoma Corp. Comm'n, 1982 OK 11, ¶ 15, 640 P.2d 1341, 1347; El Paso Natural Gas Co. v. Corporation Comm'n, 1981 OK 150, ¶ 9, 640 P.2d 1336, 1338. However, great weight is accorded the expertise of an administrative agency. On review, a presumption of validity attaches to the exercise of expertise. An appellate court may not substitute its judgment for that of an agency, particularly in the area of expertise which the agency supervises. Denney v. Scott, 1992 OK 134, ¶ 8, 848 P.2d 1142, 1143; Abstracts of *581 Oklahoma, Inc. v. Payne County Title Co., 1992 OK 13, ¶ 13, 825 P.2d 1334, 1339; Tulsa Area Hosp. Council, Inc. v. Oral Roberts Univ. 1981 OK 29, ¶ 10, 626 P.2d 316, 320.

¶ 10 However, an administrative agency order interpreting law is reviewed using a de novo standard. Samman v. Multiple Injury Trust Fund, 2001 OK 71, ¶ 8, and n. 5, 33 P.3d 302, 305. It has been noted that "an administrative agency's statutory interpretation must be reasonable, and the agency cannot extend its power beyond that granted by statute." Henderson v. Maley, 1991 OK 8, n. 7, 806 P.2d 626, 633. Furthermore:

An administrative order is subject to reversal if an appealing party's substantial rights are prejudiced because the agency's decision is entered in excess of statutory authority or jurisdiction, or if an order is entered based on an error of law, or if the agency's findings are clearly erroneous in view of the reliable, material, probative and substantial competent evidence in the record.

Tubbs v. State ex rel., Teachers' Retirement System of Oklahoma, 2002 OK 79, ¶¶ 16-18, 57 P.3d 571, 578-79 (citing City of Tulsa v. State ex rel. Public Employees Relations Bd., 1998 OK 92, ¶¶ 12-13, 967 P.2d 1214, 1219).

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Related

State Ex Rel. Cartwright v. Oklahoma Natural Gas Co.
1982 OK 11 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1982)
El Paso Natural Gas Co. v. Corporation Commission
1981 OK 150 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1981)
City of Tulsa v. State Ex Rel. Public Employees Relations Board
1998 OK 92 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1998)
Denney v. Scott
1992 OK 134 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1992)
Henderson v. Maley
806 P.2d 626 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1991)
Samman v. Multiple Injury Trust Fund
2001 OK 71 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 2001)
Tulsa Area Hospital Council, Inc. v. Oral Roberts University
626 P.2d 316 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1981)
Abstracts of Oklahoma, Inc. v. Payne County Title Co.
1992 OK 13 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1992)
Tubbs v. State, ex rel. Teachers' Retirement System
2002 OK 79 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 2002)
Dugger v. State ex rel. Oklahoma Tax Commission
1992 OK 105 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1992)

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Bluebook (online)
2010 OK CIV APP 121, 242 P.3d 578, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-protest-to-cert-of-title-brand-oklacivapp-2010.