United Steelworkers of America v. Kansas Commission on Civil Rights

845 P.2d 89, 17 Kan. App. 2d 863, 1993 Kan. App. LEXIS 14, 61 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedJanuary 22, 1993
DocketNo. 68,248
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 845 P.2d 89 (United Steelworkers of America v. Kansas Commission on Civil Rights) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United Steelworkers of America v. Kansas Commission on Civil Rights, 845 P.2d 89, 17 Kan. App. 2d 863, 1993 Kan. App. LEXIS 14, 61 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1 (kanctapp 1993).

Opinion

VlCKERS, J.:

United Steelworkers of America, Local No. 4706, (Union) appeals the district court’s dismissal of its petition for judicial review for lack of jurisdiction caused by untimely filing of the petition under K.S.A. 77-613. We affirm.

The underlying complaint of discrimination was filed with the Kansas Commission on Civil Rights (KCCR) under the Kansas Act Against Discrimination, K.S.A. 44-1001 et seq., by Ruth A. Morales.

On March 6, 1990, the KCCR held an evidentiary hearing. On June 15, 1990, hearing examiner Thomas L. Green issued his findings of fact and conclusions of law and entered judgment for the Union.

On July 6, 1990, the KCCR filed its own findings and conclusions of law, entering judgment for Morales.

[864]*864On July 13, 1990, the Union mailed a petition for rehearing. On July 16, 1990, the petition for rehearing was filed at the KCCR. On July 20, 1990, the KCCR denied the Union’s petition for rehearing.

On August 17, 1990, the Union filed its petition for judicial review with the district court. On February 28, 1992, the district court ordered dismissal of the Union’s appeal for lack of jurisdiction by reason of its failure to file for judicial review within the statutory period provided for in K.S.A. 77-613(b).

The issue before us is whether the district court erred in its interpretation of K.S.A. 77-613(b), the provision governing the time allowed for filing a petition for judicial review of an administrative agency order.

The critical dates are:

July 6, 1990 - KCCR filed its order;

July 16, 1990 - Union filed motion for rehearing;

July 20, 1990 - KCCR denied motion for rehearing;

August 17, 1990 - Union filed a petition for judicial review.

K.S.A. 44-1011(b) provides in part that “[a]ny action of the commission pursuant to the Kansas act against discrimination is subject to review in accordance with the act for judicial review and civil enforcement of agency actions.”

K.S.A. 1991 Supp. 44-1010 provides as follows:

“Any party being dissatisfied with any order or decision of the commission may petition for reconsideration in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 77-529 and amendments thereto. No cause of action arising out of any order or decision of the commission shall accrue in any court to any party unless such party shall petition for reconsideration as herein provided. No party shall, in any court, urge or rely upon any ground not set forth in the petition for reconsideration.”

K.S.A. 77-529 provides:

“(a) Any party, within 15 days after service of a final order, may file a petition for reconsideration with the agency head, stating the specific grounds upon which relief is requested. The filing of the petition is not a prerequisite for seeking administrative or judicial review except as provided in K.S.A. 44-1010 and 44-1115 and amendments thereto concerning orders of the commission on civil rights . . . .”

K.S.A. 77-613(b) provides:

[865]*865“A petition for judicial review of an order is not timely unless filed within 30 days after service of the order, but the time is extended during the pendency of the petitioner’s timely attempts to exhaust administrative remedies.”

The Union argues on appeal that the full 30 days should start from July 20, 1990, when the KCCR denied its motion for rehearing; therefore, its petition for judicial review filed on August 17, 1990, was timely. At first glance, this argument seems reasonable and convincing, especially when compared with the rules of civil procedure.

As a general rule, a notice of appeal from a decision of the district court must be filed within 30 days from entry of judgment, but the time for filing a notice of appeal is tolled by timely filing one of several post-trial motions. K.S.A. 1991 Supp. 60-2103(a). If a post-trial motion is timely , filed, the time for filing notice of appeal is 30 days from entry of the trial court decision on the post-trial motion. The post-trial motions which toll the time for filing notice of appeal under K.S.A. 1991 Supp. 60-2103(a) include motion for judgment notwithstanding verdict, K.S.A. 1991 Supp. 60-250(c);’ motion to amend or make additional findings of fact, K.S.A. 60-252(b); motion for a new trial, K.S.A. 60-259(b); and motion to alter or amend the judgment, K.S.A. 60-259(f). The following motions have been judicially determined to toll the time for filing a notice of appeal: objections to a journal entry, motion for rehearing, motion to vacate judgment, and motion to reconsider. Byrd, Appellate Court Jurisdiction: An Update, 58 J.K.B.A. 21, 24 (January 1989).

However, the language in K.S.A. 1991 Supp. 60-2103(a) is different than that of K.S.A. 77-613(b). The legislature did not indicate in K.S.A. 77-613(b) an intention to have judicial review of an order of an administrative agency follow the same procedure as in appeals under the code of civil procedure.

In arriving at its decision, the district court held:

“In the case at bar, Petitioner had thirty days from the Board’s Order certified on July 6, 1990, to bring an action in this Court. According to K.S.A. 77-613(b), the statutory time commenced on July 7, 1990, and was tolled on July 16, 1990, when Petitioner filed a motion for rehearing.

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Related

State Bank Commissioner v. Emery
880 P.2d 783 (Court of Appeals of Kansas, 1994)
United Steelworkers of Am. v. KAN COMM'N ON CIVIL RIGHTS
855 P.2d 905 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1993)

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Bluebook (online)
845 P.2d 89, 17 Kan. App. 2d 863, 1993 Kan. App. LEXIS 14, 61 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-steelworkers-of-america-v-kansas-commission-on-civil-rights-kanctapp-1993.