Powers v. Ohio State Racing Commission

572 N.E.2d 262, 60 Ohio Misc. 2d 4, 1989 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 103
CourtClermont County Court of Common Pleas
DecidedApril 13, 1989
DocketNo. 88-CV0092
StatusPublished

This text of 572 N.E.2d 262 (Powers v. Ohio State Racing Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Clermont County Court of Common Pleas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Powers v. Ohio State Racing Commission, 572 N.E.2d 262, 60 Ohio Misc. 2d 4, 1989 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 103 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1989).

Opinion

Robert P. Ringland, J.

Plaintiff-appellant, Sue Powers, had been licensed for fourteen years as a mutuel clerk at River Downs Race Track (“River Downs”). On September 2, 1987, she was assigned to the River Downs mutuel window where she processed wagers on the sixth race. One of the horses to run in that sixth race was No. 10, “Circle the Field.” Powers was familiar with this horse inasmuch as her half-brother was its trainer. Roy Hamilton, owner of horse No. 10, placed a $300 wager on his horse at Powers’ window. When Circle the Field unexpectedly won the race, Hamilton presented his winning ticket to Powers. Upon receiving the ticket, Powers ran the ticket through the mutuel machine which indicated that the ticket had been cancelled prior to the racé. Powers’ offer to “reimburse” Hamilton from her own funds if he would not pursue the matter was refused. After reviewing the computer records that evening, River Downs management paid Hamilton the full value of the mutuel ticket. Further investigation of the matter established that Hamilton, the owner, had not voluntarily cancelled his wager prior to the sixth race. The evidence also established that the ticket was manually cancelled at Powers’ window one minute and eight seconds after its purchase. Further investigation indicated that in order for manual cancellation to take place all thirteen digits of the ticket number must be punched into the computer terminal by a mutuel clerk such as Powers.

Subsequent to this investigation, the State Racing Commission notified Powers of its intention to suspend or revoke her 1987 mutuel employee license. Powers filed a timely request for a hearing and the matter was heard before the commission in November 1987. Powers was charged under Ohio Adm. Code 3769-2-26(A)(4), violating the rules of racing; Ohio Adm. Code 3769-2-26(A)(5), perpetrating a fraud in connection with the racing of horses; Ohio Adm. Code 3769-2-26(A)(8), engaging in bookmaking or similar pursuits; and Ohio Adm. Code 3769-2-26(A)(10), engaging in conduct which is against the best interest of horse racing. The alleged conduct which gave rise to these violations was the cancellation of the Hamilton wager, without the wager being in error and without having Hamilton’s permission or the wage ticket.

After the required hearing the commission adopted the report of the hearing officer who recommended that Powers’ 1987 mutuel employee license be revoked, that her 1988 license be denied, and that application for future licenses be referred to the commission for consideration. From that order Powers filed a notice of appeal per R.C. 119.12 with this court on the grounds that the decision of the commission was “not supported by reliable, probative and substantial evidence and/or the order [was] not in accordance with the law.”

In response, the Ohio Attorney General, representing the Ohio State Racing Commission, filed a motion to dismiss under Civ. R. 12(B)(1) alleging lack of jurisdiction as a result of Powers’ failure to set forth the specific grounds for her appeal. After oral argument, this court held that precedent existed to permit Powers to amend her notice of appeal, citing Couk v. Ocean Accident & Guarantee Corp. (1941), 138 Ohio St. 110, 20 O.O. 65, 33 N.E. 2d 9, and Toth v. Ohio Bur. of Unemp. Comp. (1962), 116 Ohio App. [6]*6258, 89 Ohio Law Abs. 588, 22 O.O. 2d 83, 183 N.E. 2d 462.

The matter came before this court on the merits of the appeal after the full record had been filed with this court and memoranda submitted. The Attorney General concedes that Powers raised the issue of constitutionality during the original commission hearing, alleging vagueness of the administrative regulations, thereby preserving that issue for appeal.

The criterion for review under R.C. 119.12 is to determine whether the order is supported by reliable, probative and substantial evidence and is in accordance with the law. See Ohio Real Estate Comm. v. Cohen (C.P. 1962), 90 Ohio Law Abs. 137, 145, 25 O.O. 2d 165, 168, 187 N.E. 2d 641, 645-646. The court cannot substitute its judgment for that of the agency, see American Legion, Clifton Post No. 421 v. Bd. of Liquor Control (App. 1955), 72 Ohio Law Abs. 334, 337, 135 N.E. 2d 82, 84, nor can the court substitute its determination of credibility for the hearing officer’s determination of the credibility of the witnesses who appeared at the hearing.

In the present case it is apparent that the hearing officer found Powers’ version of the facts less credible than the version related by the state’s witnesses. Evidence was abundant to show that Powers made a conscious effort to arrange all thirteen digits and to cash in the ticket, not expecting the horse to win. In reviewing the entire record and transcript, this court finds that sufficient evidence does exist to support the hearing officer’s conclusions and determination.

Assuming, arguendo, that Powers has raised the issue of constitutionality in the record, she argues that Ohio Adm. Code 3769-2-26(A)(4), (A)(5), (A)(8) and (A)(10) are unconstitutionally vague and violate the Fourteenth Amendment because they do not clearly describe the prohibited conduct. Reviewing courts will not decide constitutional questions unless the necessity for such decision arises upon the record. See Belden v. Union Cent. Life Ins. Co. (1944), 143 Ohio St. 329, 28 O.O. 295, 55 N.E. 2d 629, paragraph seven of the syllabus. However, a court may decide the facial constitutionality of the challenged statute absent an adequate record. See State v. Beckley (1983), 5 Ohio St. 3d 4, 6-7, 5 OBR 66, 68-69, 448 N.E. 2d 1147, 1148-1149. Further, the Ohio Supreme Court in Columbus v. Thompson (1971), 25 Ohio St. 2d 26, 54 O.O. 2d 162, 266 N.E. 2d 571, has set forth the standards for determining if a statute or provision of law is void for vagueness. See, also, State v. Young (1980), 62 Ohio St. 2d 370, 372-373, 16 O.O. 3d 416, 417, 406 N.E. 2d 499, 501 (holding that a statute must give a person of ordinary intelligence fair notice that his contemplated conduct is forbidden); State v. Dorso (1983), 4 Ohio St. 3d 60, 61, 4 OBR 150, 151, 446 N.E. 2d 449, 450; State v. Phipps (1979), 58 Ohio St. 2d 271, 272-273, 12 O.O. 3d 273, 274, 389 N.E. 2d 1128.

Validity of criminal statutes and the validity of administrative regulations are determined by different standards. The case of Salem v. Liquor Control Comm. (1973), 34 Ohio St. 2d 244, 63 O.O. 2d 387, 298 N.E. 2d 138, dealt with the challenge of a liquor control regulation which the liquor permit holder claimed was void for vagueness. The court in Salem recognized that the degree of specificity constitutionally required for the wording of a criminal statute is greater than the degree of specificity required in the wording of an administrative regulation. Id. at 245-246, 63 O.O. 2d at 388-389, 298 N.E. 2d at 140. The court also discussed the “special relationship” between a license holder and the state. A license is a personal and temporary [7]*7permit or privilege, not a natural right, which is “* * *‘* * *to be enjoyed only so long as the conditions and restrictions governing its continuance are complied with * * V* * *” Id. at 245, 63 O.O. 2d at 388, 298 N.E. 2d at 140.

Administrative regulations should be read in a proper context so that the legislative purpose may attain “ ‘* * * a special and restrictive meaning which connotes with unmistakable clarity the character of the acts prohibited.’ ” Id.

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Related

City of New Orleans v. Kiefer
164 So. 2d 336 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1964)
In Re Cline
210 N.E.2d 737 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1964)
State Racing Commission v. Robertson
172 N.E.2d 628 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1960)
Toth v. State, Board of Review
183 N.E.2d 462 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1962)
Belden v. Union Central Life Ins.
55 N.E.2d 629 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1944)
Couk v. Ocean Accident & Guarantee Corp.
33 N.E.2d 9 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1941)
American Legion Clifton Post No. 421 v. Board of Liquor Control
135 N.E.2d 82 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1955)
James Talcott, Inc. v. Burke
145 F. Supp. 389 (N.D. Ohio, 1956)
City of Columbus v. Thompson
266 N.E.2d 571 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1971)
Salem v. Liquor Control Commission
298 N.E.2d 138 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1973)
State v. Phipps
389 N.E.2d 1128 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1979)
Smith v. Haney
398 N.E.2d 797 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1980)
State v. Young
406 N.E.2d 499 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1980)
State v. Dorso
446 N.E.2d 449 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1983)
State v. Beckley
448 N.E.2d 1147 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1983)
Ohio Real Estate Commission v. Cohen
187 N.E.2d 641 (Muskingum County Court of Common Pleas, 1962)

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Bluebook (online)
572 N.E.2d 262, 60 Ohio Misc. 2d 4, 1989 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 103, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/powers-v-ohio-state-racing-commission-ohctcomplclermo-1989.