Morgan v. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.

463 P.2d 118, 11 Ariz. App. 223, 1970 Ariz. App. LEXIS 459
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedJanuary 6, 1970
DocketNo. 1 CA-CIV 746
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 463 P.2d 118 (Morgan v. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.) 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
Morgan v. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc., 463 P.2d 118, 11 Ariz. App. 223, 1970 Ariz. App. LEXIS 459 (Ark. Ct. App. 1970).

Opinion

EUBANK, Presiding Judge.

This case is before this Court for the second time. It was originally here on appellant’s petition for a writ of certiorari under Docket No. 1 CA-CIV 132, which was denied on April 19, 1965. Thereafter the Arizona Supreme Court granted the writ and rendered an extensive decision on the merits of the case, which decision, as we will point out, is dispositive of questions raised on this appeal. This prior decision is Morgan v. Hays and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc., 102 Ariz. 150, 426 P.2d 647 (1967), cert. denied, 389 U.S. 859, 88 S.Ct. 105, 19 L.Ed.2d 125 (1967). It involves the same parties standing in the same capacity as they do in this matter and, upon analysis, involves the same legal issues.

In the prior decision Robert D. Morgan, hereinafter referred to as appellant, sued Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, hereinafter referred to as MGM, his employer, in the Maricopa County Superior Court for damages arising from his personal injuries which allegedly resulted from MGM’s negligent conduct. MGM moved to dismiss the complaint alleging that the Superior Court lacked jurisdiction over the cause of action by reason of the appellant electing to take coverage under the State Workmen’s Compensation Act by applying for and receiving compensation benefits. At the same time, MGM sought an order setting this motion for preliminary hearing to the trial court. The trial court granted the motion for the preliminary hearing and appellant petitioned the Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari, alleging that such a hearing deprived appellant of a jury trial on the fact issue of waiver. The writ was denied and the hearing was held, after which the trial judge advised counsel that he declined to rule on the jurisdictional question in advance of the jury trial. MGM then petitioned for a writ of mandamus in the Supreme Court requesting that the trial court be ordered to rule on the jurisdictional question immediately. The Supreme Court agreed with MGM and granted a preemptory writ ordering the trial court to rule, after which the trial court did rule and granted MGM’s motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction. The trial court filed findings of fact and conclusions of law in support of its dismissal order concluding that appellant’s exclusive remedy was vested either in the Industrial Accident Commission of the State of California, or the Industrial Commission of Arizona, and that the trial court had no jurisdiction over the matter.

Appellant then filed his notice of appeal but failed to file his cost bond, as required by Rule 73(b), Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure, and thereby failed to perfect his ap[225]*225peal. He then petitioned this court for a writ of certiorari, which was denied. The writ was subsequently granted by the State Supreme Court and the Morgan v. Hays decision, supra, resulted' from that hearing. The Supreme Court, in its decision, affirmed the trial court’s judgment of dismissal. For a discussion of that decision, see Skarecky, Workmen’s Compensation— Election of Remedies — Question of Election is One of Law to be Decided by Trial Court. Morgan v. Hays (Ariz.1967), 9 Ariz.L.Rev. 543. In its opinion the Supreme Court based its affirmance on two grounds: First, that a question of election to take under the Workmen’s Compensation statute is a preliminary question to be decided by the trial court prior to- jury trial, which was properly disposed of by the trial court; and Second, that the findings of fact of the trial court, on the issue of appellant’s waiver to sue MGM under A.R.S. Section 23-1024, were substantially supported by the evidence.

Following the issuance of the mandate, the appellant returned to the trial court and filed an amended and supplemental motion for new trial1 under Rule 60(c), Rules of Civil Procedure, 16 A.R.S. This motion was considered and denied by the trial court and this present appeal results from the denial of that Rule 60(c) motion. A motion under Rule 60(c) is addressed to the discretion of the trial court and the result reached by that court will be sustained on appeal unless the record on appeal demonstrates a clear abuse of that discretion. Eldridge v. Jagger, 83 Ariz. 150, 317 P.2d 942 (1957); Haenichen v. Worthington, 9 Ariz.App. 83, 449 P.2d 319 (1969).

Appellant raises three questions on appeal: First, did the trial court abuse its discretion in denying plaintiff’s motion for a new trial pursuant to Rule 60(c), Rules of Civil Procedure; Second, were the facts shown upon plaintiff’s motion for new trial such as would probably have changed the result, should a new trial be granted; and, Third, was-the appellant required to show due diligence in securing the facts and evidence relied upon in his motions for new trial?

MGM raises a preliminary question which must be disposed of prior to the consideration of the appellant’s questions, that is, whether the appeal should be dismissed as moot because the prior judgment of the Arizona Supreme Court in Morgan v. Hays, supra, is now res judicata and dispositive of the rights of the parties in this case on the issue raised by the Rule 60(c) motion, i. e., fraud.

The effect of Rule 60(c) on a mandate from the Supreme Court was considered by Judge Molloy, speaking for Division Two of this Court in First National Bank of Arizona v. Otis Elevator Company, Inc., 8 Ariz.App. 291, 293, 445 P.2d 848 (1968); wherein he pointed out that a motion under 60(c) is as subject to the doctrine of res judicata as a new action would be. The same rule applies under Rule 60(b), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which is identical to Arizona Rule 60(c). In 7 Moore’s Federal Practice, Sec. 60.30[2], p. 339, the federal rule is stated thus:

“Where the appellate court has affirmed or reversed, then relief by the district court under 60(b) must reckon with the appellate court’s mandate. ‘The authorities seem uniform that a mandate from a reviewing court is controlling as to all matters within the compass of such mandate and as to such matters the District Court, after remand can take no‘further action.’ (Citation omitted). At times a motion for relief will not raise matters that are within the compass of the mandate, (citation omitted) and in that event the district court clearly has the power to proceed with the 60 (b) motion without leave of the appellate court. (Citation omitted).” (Emphasis supplied).

See also 3A Ohlinger’s Federal Practice 418, 420 (Rev.Ed.1964); Perrin v. Aluminum Co. of America, 197 F.2d 254 (9th Cir. 1952); City and County of Honolulu [226]*226v. United States, 224 F.2d 573 (9th Cir. 1955).

The foregoing authorities require that the application of the doctrine of res judicata be applied in a Rule 60(c) motion where a mandate has issued from the Supreme Court, where the same parties are involved and where the same issues are raised. The exception according to.

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Bluebook (online)
463 P.2d 118, 11 Ariz. App. 223, 1970 Ariz. App. LEXIS 459, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/morgan-v-metro-goldwyn-mayer-inc-arizctapp-1970.