Case Title: Miller v. North Dakota Crime Victims Reparations Bd.

Citation: 448 N.W.2d 197

Docket Number: 

State: north-dakota

Court: North Dakota Supreme Court

Date: 1989-11-20T00:00:00Z

Document:
448 N.W.2d 197 (1989) William L. MILLER, Appellant, v. NORTH DAKOTA CRIME VICTIMS REPARATIONS BOARD, Appellee. Civ. No. 890145. Supreme Court of North Dakota. November 20, 1989. *198 Dyer & Summers, Bismarck, for appellant; argued by Anne E. Summers. Hugh Patrick Seaworth (argued), Asst. Atty. Gen., North Dakota Workers Compensation Bureau, Bismarck, for appellee. ERICKSTAD, Chief Justice. William L. Miller appeals from a judgment of the District Court for Burleigh County, dated January 19, 1989, affirming an order of the North Dakota Crime Victims Reparations Board dated September 12, 1988, which dismissed Miller's application for benefits.[1] We affirm the judgment of the district court. In conjunction with a softball tournament, Miller was involved in an altercation which resulted in his nose being broken and requiring surgery to correct. Miller filed an application for benefits with the North Dakota Crime Victims Reparations Board on or about October 28, 1987. On March 7, 1988, the Board dismissed the application. After a formal hearing sought by Miller, the Board on September 12, 1988, issued an order affirming the dismissal of the application. The Board's findings include the following: On appeal the District Court for Burleigh County affirmed the Board's dismissal of the application. Miller then appealed to this Court. Miller's contentions on appeal are twofold: first, that the decision of the North Dakota Crime Victims Reparations Board was not supported by the law and by the actual weight of the evidence; and second, that the finding and conclusion of the North Dakota Crime Victims Reparations Board that appellant failed to fully cooperate with law enforcement authorities is not justified in light of the circumstances. Section 65-13-08, N.D.C.C., provides that appeals pursuant to the Uniform Crime Victims Reparations Act will be governed by Chapter 28-32, N.D.C.C., the Administrative Agencies Practice Act. Our review of administrative agency decisions is governed by section 28-32-19, N.D.C.C., and involves a three-step process: (1) Are the findings of fact supported by a preponderance of the evidence? (2) Are the conclusions of law sustained by the findings of fact? (3) Is the agency decision supported by the conclusions of law? Falcon v. Williams County Social Service Board, 430 N.W.2d 569, 571 (N.D.1988); Otto v. Job Service North Dakota, 390 N.W.2d 550 (N.D.1986); Application of Zimbelman, 356 N.W.2d 99 (N.D.1984). When an administrative agency decision is appealed to the district court and then to this Court, we review the decision of the agency and not the decision of the district court. Montana-Dakota Utilities Company v. Public Service Commission, 413 N.W.2d 308 (N.D.1987); Skjefte v. Job Service of North Dakota, 392 N.W.2d 815 (N.D.1986). Accordingly, we review the record compiled before the agency rather than the findings of the district court. Application of Zimbelman, supra. In determining whether or not the agency's findings of fact are supported by a preponderance of the evidence, we do not make independent findings of fact or substitute our judgment for that of the agency, but determine only whether a reasoning mind could reasonably have determined that the factual conclusions were supported by the weight of the evidence. Falcon, supra; Power Fuels Inc. v. Elkin, 283 N.W.2d 214 (N.D.1979). Miller was at a softball tournament on September 6, 1987, at Fort Rice, North Dakota. Miller testified that he attempted to find out the score of a game by approaching a female scorekeeper. In response to questioning, Miller testified: The assailant, Lamont Unterseher, testified that his aunt, Joanne House, told him that someone was harassing his girlfriend. Unterseher then went over to Miller and told him to leave. In response to questions, Unterseher testified: There was testimony that both parties had been drinking prior to the incident. The Uniform Crime Victims Reparations Act allows the award of reparations pursuant to the following relevant statutes: Thus, the Board has the discretion to deny or reduce reparations to the extent it deems the victim's misconduct contributed to the injury. The Board, in its discretion, may also deny, reconsider, or reduce an award of reparations if it finds that the victim has not fully cooperated with appropriate law enforcement agencies. After the incident, Miller attempted to learn the identity of his assailant. He testified that he quickly drank three beers to dull the pain and that he then left to contact the Morton County Sheriff's Department to report the incident. Upon attracting the attention of a highway patrolman, by passing him with his car, Miller *201 was arrested for Driving Under the Influence by Officer Robert Liebel of the North Dakota Highway Patrol. After being tested for alcohol and treated for his injury, Miller met with Deputy James Foley of the Morton County Sheriff's Department. Miller explained the incident and described the assailant. Deputy Foley testified that Miller refused to file a formal complaint for the assault charge. When asked for additional details, Miller stated that that was basically all he could remember. He indicated that he would contact the assailant and take care of the situation himself. Finally he said that he wished to contact an attorney. After contacting his attorney, Miller refused to make any further statements. Deputy Foley testified: Miller contends that he was justified in not making any further statements due to his pending Driving Under the Influence charge and due to the fact that he was still suffering from his injury. He asserts that the circumstances entitled him to invoke his constitutional right against self-incrimination. Miller also contends that law enforcement authorities never intended to investigate *202 or prosecute the assailant and that Miller's level of cooperation did not make any real difference to the investigation. While it is true that Miller need not incriminate himself in the criminal proceeding,[2] if he is to benefit civilly under the provisions of Chapter 65-13, N.D.C.C., he must fully cooperate. Miller had a decision to make. He chose not to disclose any more information. Miller's criminal proceeding was concluded on December 10, 1987. Miller did not inform the Board of the identity of his assailant until February 4, 1988. Miller failed to inform Deputy Foley of the information, even though he was under a continuing request to do so. The result of Miller's actions is a denial of benefits due to a finding that he did not fully cooperate. The language of section 65-13-06(5), N.D.C.C., is clear and unambiguous the Board is free to deny benefits if the claimant did not fully cooperate. Words used in a statute are to be understood in their ordinary sense unless a contrary intention plainly appears. Aanenson v. Bastien, 438 N.W.2d 151, 153 (N.D.1989); section 1-02-02, N.D.C.C. When the wording of the statute is clear and free of all ambiguity, we have said that it is improper for the courts to attempt to construe the provisions so as to legislate additional requirements or proscriptions which the words of the provisions do not themselves provide. Aanenson, supra; section 1-02-05, N.D. C.C. The legislature gave the Board the discretion to deny benefits upon a finding that a claimant did not fully cooperate with appropriate law enforcement agencies. Full cooperation is an essential feature of the statute. As others have observed from time to time, resources are finite. Because the appropriation for this purpose is extremely limited, one should not expect to share in the fund unless one has cooperated so as to make prosecution of the offender a reality. There might conceivably be circumstances which would justify something less than complete cooperation, but that is not this case. The legislature appropriated $382,560 to the Crime Victims Reparations Board for grants, benefits, and claims for the biennium beginning July 1, 1987, and ending June 30, 1989. 1987 N.D.Sess.Laws, ch. 26, § 1; 1989 N.D.Sess. Laws, ch. 55, § 1. Miller clearly did not fully cooperate with law enforcement. Miller insinuated he would take care of the matter himself, and refused to file a formal complaint against the assailant. Miller also failed to inform Deputy Foley of the identity of the assailant, even though he had a continuing obligation to do so through Foley's request. From our review of the record, we believe a reasoning mind could have reasonably concluded that Miller did not fully cooperate with law enforcement authorities. Miller has requested in his brief that this Court award him attorney's fees on this appeal. Miller relies on section 65-13-13, N.D.C.C., which reads as follows: The Board resists Miller's request for attorney's fees and in doing so states that the "[a]ward of attorney fees is within the discretion of the appellate court." In resisting fees, counsel for the Board points out that there is no separate appropriation for attorney's fees and that the fees must be paid out of the limited funds appropriated for compensation to victims of crime. In fact, the 1989 Legislative Assembly approved an emergency request to fund a deficiency in the 1987-1989 biennium. The Board asserts that: As Miller did not make a separate motion in this Court and support it with an affidavit as to services rendered[3], and the Board has resisted payment, we find that only nominal fees are appropriate in conjunction with this appeal. We do not find the appeal frivolous, but because of the posture of the case, we award attorney's fees only in the amount of $250. For the reasons stated herein, the judgment of the district court affirming the judgment of the Board is affirmed. We direct the North Dakota Crime Victims Reparations Board to award attorney's fees in the amount of $250 to Miller's counsel. GIERKE, VANDE WALLE, LEVINE and MESCHKE, JJ., concur. [1] In the Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Order for Judgment, and in the Judgment, Judge Schneider affirmed the Dismissal of the Reparations Board dated March 7, 1988. The March 7 Dismissal was the original dismissal by the Board. There was then a formal hearing and the Board issued an Order Affirming Dismissal dated September 12, 1988. We treat Judge Schneider's Order of January 19, 1989, affirming the March 7, 1988, dismissal as having intended to carry with it the affirmance of the Board's September 12, 1989, Order affirming its previous dismissal. [2] United States Constitution, Article V, reads: "No person shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia when in actual service, in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled, in any criminal case, to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation." Notwithstanding our conclusion herein, legal or factual, Miller has not advanced pertinent or persuasive authority supporting his view that being required to cooperate fully in conjunction with his claim for civil benefits under Chapter 65-13, N.D.C.C., would deprive him of his Fifth Amendment right. We have said, "[o]ne who attacks a statute on constitutional grounds, ... should bring up his heavy artillery or forego the attack entirely." Wisdom v. State, N.D. Real Estate Com'n, 403 N.W.2d 19, 22 (N.D.1987), citing So. Valley Grain Dealers v. Bd. of Cty. Com'rs, 257 N.W.2d 425, 434 (N.D.1977). [3] In reference to attorney's fees this Court has said: "We suggest that if more than a token amount of attorney fees is sought in a request to this court to impose monetary sanctions under Rule 38, N.D.R.App.P., the request should be accompanied by an affidavit documenting the work performed on the appeal to enable us to calculate the amount of reasonable attorney fees to be assessed." United Bank of Bismarck v. Young, 401 N.W.2d 517, 519, n. 1 (N.D. 1987), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 856, 108 S. Ct. 165, 98 L. Ed. 2d 119 (1987).