Kentucky Utilities Co. v. South East Coal Co.

836 S.W.2d 407, 1992 Ky. LEXIS 131, 1989 WL 361576
Kentucky Supreme Court·Decided August 25, 1992·No. 91-SC-357-DG, 91-SC-609-DG, and 91-SC-610-DG·Published·Cited by 20 cases

Opinions

[408]*408OPINION AND ORDER

The motions pending before this Court for review are the motions of respondent/cross-movant, South East Coal Company, for intermediate relief, for recusal of the Justices of the Supreme Court of Kentucky and for disqualification of Special Justice Robert L. Chenoweth.

A brief review of the factual background of this appeal shows that on May 31, 1991, an Order was entered designating Hon. Robert L. Chenoweth to sit as Special Justice in the pending actions. Counsel was served with a copy of said order. On June 28, 1991, this Court granted discretionary review, with Special Justice Chenoweth participating, and scheduled the oral argument in the case for August 20, 1991. On June 4, 1992, 836 S.W.2d 392, this Court rendered its opinion which reversed the Court of Appeals, with five Justices concurring and two Justices dissenting.

On June 24, 1992, South East Coal Company filed a Petition for Rehearing and, for the first time, moved this Court to set aside the appointment of Special Justice Cheno-weth on the ground that his appointment violated Section 110 of the Kentucky Constitution and the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. This motion also requested that the opinion rendered June 4, 1992, be set aside for the same reason and that a rehearing be provided before “a properly constituted” Supreme Court of Kentucky. It further moved each member of this Court concurring in the majority opinion to recuse himself if he believed “his impartiality had been impaired” by the role of Special Justice Chenoweth.

On July 2, 1992, South East Coal filed a motion for recusal of the Justices of the Supreme Court of Kentucky from consideration of its own motion to disqualify Special Justice Chenoweth.

On August 22, 1992, South East Coal Company filed a motion requesting this Court to stay its proceedings pending a decision by United States District Judge Hood on South East Coal Company’s cross-claim against the Supreme Court of Kentucky in federal court.

As to South East Coal Company’s motion for recusal, no facts have been disclosed which bring this case within the parameter of SCR 4.300 or KRS 26A.015. It is absurd to suggest that this Court is unable to review impartially the constitutionality of a procedure it earlier adopted. Vessels v. Brown-Forman Distillers Corp., Ky., 793 S.W.2d 795 (1990), (holding CR 76.25(12) to be unconstitutional). A Justice is not disqualified from consideration of a case by participation in the promulgation of procedure regarding the administration of the Court of Justice any more than a Justice who has voted on a case, thereby expressing an opinion on the merits, is barred from considering a petition for rehearing. As former Chief Justice Palmore stated in Ex parte Farley, Ky., 570 S.W.2d 617 at 623 (1978), “Judges understand that they can be and at times are in error. If they were disqualified by reason of having made a previous ruling, most motions for a new trial and every petition for rehearing would call for a new judge or a new court.” The authority to exercise administrative control of the judicial branch of government is vested in the Supreme Court of Kentucky. Ex Parte Auditor of Public Accounts, Ky., 609 S.W.2d 682 (1980), Ex parte Farley, supra. In the well chosen words of the Supreme Court of Vermont, “When we are defining the essential nature of this Court, it is imperative that the active members of the Court provide that definition.” Directive No. 17 v. Vermont Supreme Court, 154 Vt. 217, 576 A.2d 127 at 128 (1990). An issue involving the administrative authority of this Court must be determined by its Justices, rather than executive appointees. As was stated in Ex parte Auditor of Public Accounts, Ky., 609 S.W.2d 682 at 687 (1980), “Experience teaches that a boundary not guarded will in time be lost.” The motion to recuse is denied.

This Court in denying the motion to re-cuse and in determining that it is properly constituted to review matters herein obviates the need for granting intermediate relief to South East Coal Company, pursuant to CR 76.33. Clearly, South East Coal [409]*409Company has not shown that it will suffer immediate and irreparable injury if this duly constituted Court rules on pending matters herein.

As to the motion for recusal of Special Justice Chenoweth, we first observe that South East Coal Company and all parties hereto were notified of the appointment of the Special Justice well in advance of oral argument. There was no objection. South East Coal Company appeared, by counsel, at oral argument with Special Justice Chenoweth sitting and still there was no objection. Nearly ten months passed from the date of oral argument until rendition of our opinion and no issue was raised as to the participation of the Special Justice. Only after South East Coal Company received an unfavorable opinion did it voice any complaint. We need not provide extensive authority for the proposition that a party must timely object or be deemed to have waived any such objection. CR 46. Poorman v. Commonwealth, Ky., 782 S.W.2d 603 (1990). Martin v. Stumbo, 282 Ky. 793, 140 S.W.2d 405 (1940).

Fairness and good faith toward this Court required any issue regarding the appointment of a Special Justice to be raised at the earliest opportunity and certainly before rendition of an opinion by this Court. South East Coal Company’s voluntary participation, without objection, forecloses it from any retroactive complaint now. The motion is denied.

While the procedural default of South East Coal Company precludes a motion to disqualify Special Justice Cheno-weth, this Court will address the constitutionality of the “Procedure For Appointment of A Special Justice of the Supreme Court of Kentucky” entered of record October 16, 1989, and employed in the May 31, 191, appointment of Special Justice Robert L. Chenoweth herein. Said procedure, appended hereto, provides for the replacement of a disqualified Justice by the Chief Justice pursuant to KRS 26A.015(3)(a). It further provides that said replacement shall be chosen from a list of qualified attorneys previously submitted by the Justices to the Chief Justice. Said order of appointment shall be entered of record and the parties notified at least ten days before the case is scheduled for oral argument, thus giving the parties time to raise valid objections to the appointment of the Special Justice.

Ky.Const.

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Kentucky Utilities Co. v. South East Coal Co., 836 S.W.2d 407, 1992 Ky. LEXIS 131, 1989 WL 361576 (Ky. 1992).

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Kentucky Utilities Co. v. South East Coal Co.
836 S.W.2d 407 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 1992)