Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/357/1/case.html
Timestamp: 2017-01-20 22:18:33
Document Index: 564719850

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 11', '§ 11', '§ 102', '§ 102', '§ 11', '§ 11', '§ 102', '§ 11']

Labor Board v. Duval Jewelry Co., Inc. (full text) :: 357 U.S. 1 (1958) :: Justia U.S. Supreme Court Center Log In
› Labor Board v. Duval Jewelry Co., Inc.
Labor Board v. Duval Jewelry Co., Inc. 357 U.S. 1 (1958)
U.S. Supreme CourtLabor Board v. Duval Jewelry Co., Inc., 357 U.S. 1 (1958)National Labor Relations Board v.Duval Jewelry Company of Miami, Inc.No. 234Argued May 20, 1958Decided June 9, 1958357 U.S. 1CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
(a) Cudahy Packing Co. v. Holland, 315 U. S. 357, and Fleming v. Mohawk Wrecking Co., 331 U. S. 111, distinguished. P. 357 U. S. 7. Page 357 U. S. 2
This controversy grows out of an effort of a union to obtain a representation election [Footnote 1] among the employees of respondent, Duval Jewelry Co., a retail store. The latter moved to dismiss on the ground that its interstate operations were inadequate to meet the jurisdictional Page 357 U. S. 3 tests of the Act. Five subpoenas duces tecum and one subpoena ad testificandum were issued. [Footnote 2] The persons to whom the subpoenas were directed moved before both the Board and the hearing officer to revoke the subpoenas. [Footnote 3] Page 357 U. S. 4 The Board refused to entertain the motions to revoke on the grounds that those motions, under its Rules and Regulations, [Footnote 4] require an initial ruling by the hearing officer. That officer, after granting an opportunity for a hearing, denied the motions to revoke. That ruling was not appealed, and respondents refused to comply with the subpoenas. Thereupon, the Board instituted this proceeding in the District Court for enforcement of them. [Footnote 5] Page 357 U. S. 5
There is a degree of delegation of authority in connection with a motion to revoke a subpoena duces tecum. The Board's Rules and Regulations provide that a motion to revoke is first heard by the regional director or by the hearing officer. [Footnote 6] But the ruling of that subordinate official is not final. Machinery is provided in the Rules for an appeal from that ruling to the Board. [Footnote 7] Page 357 U. S. 6 We are advised that, in practice, the aggrieved party asks the Board for leave to appeal, stating the grounds relied upon. The Board, in deciding whether to grant the appeal, considers the merits. If no substantial question has been raised, leave to appeal is denied. If a substantial question is presented, leave to appeal is granted. Sometimes, when leave to appeal is granted, action is forthwith taken on the merits, the ruling of the hearing officer being reversed or modified. [Footnote 8] Or where an immediate ruling by the Board on a motion to revoke is not required, the Board defers its ruling until the entire case is transferred to it in normal course. [Footnote 9]
Section 11(1) of the Act, as noted, [Footnote 10] gives a person served with a subpoena duces tecum the right to "petition the Board to revoke," and that section provides that Page 357 U. S. 7 "the Board shall revoke . . . such subpoena if, in its opinion," the statutory requirements are not satisfied. The limited nature of the delegated authority distinguishes the case from Cudahy Packing Co. v. Holland, 315 U. S. 357, and Fleming v. Mohawk Wrecking Co., 331 U. S. 111, where the person endowed with the power to issue subpoenas delegated the function to another. While there is delegation here, the ultimate decision on a motion to revoke is reserved to the Board, not to a subordinate. All that the Board has delegated is the preliminary ruling on the motion to revoke. It retains the final decision on the merits. One who is aggrieved by the ruling of the regional director or hearing officer can get the Board's ruling. The fact that special permission of the Board is required for the appeal [Footnote 11] is not important. Motion for leave to appeal is the method of showing that a substantial question is raised concerning the validity of the subordinate's ruling. If the Board denies leave, it has decided that no substantial question is presented. We think that no more is required of it under the statutory system embodied in § 11. No matter how strict or stubborn the statutory requirement may be, the law does not "preclude practicable administrative procedure in obtaining the aid of assistants in the department." See Morgan v. United States, 298 U. S. 468, 298 U. S. 481; Eagles v. Samuels, 329 U. S. 304, 329 U. S. 315-316. It is not of help to say that, on some matters, the Board has original jurisdiction, on others appellate jurisdiction. We are dealing with a matter on which the Board has the final say. As in the case of many other matters coming before hearing examiners, it merely delegates the right to make a preliminary ruling. Much of the work of the Board necessarily has to be done through agents. Section 5 of the Act provides that
"The Board may, by one or more Page 357 U. S. 8 of its members or by such agents or agencies as it may designate, prosecute any inquiry necessary to its functions in any part of the United States."
"* * * *" "the Board shall investigate such petition and if it has reasonable cause to believe that a question of representation affecting commerce exists shall provide for an appropriate hearing upon due notice. Such hearing may be conducted by an officer or employee of the regional office, who shall not make any recommendations with respect thereto. If the Board finds upon the record of such hearing that such a question of representation exists, it shall direct an election by secret ballot and shall certify the results thereof."
Although, in a strict legal sense, the Board has not delegated its duty under § 11(1) to rule upon motions to revoke subpoenas duces tecum, but has, by § 102.58(c) of its Rules and Regulations, merely given to its regional directors, hearing officers or examiners the task of making preliminary or interim rulings on such motions -- recognizing, in § 102.57(c) of its Rules and Regulations, its statutory duty finally to rule upon such motions either upon an immediate, though discretionary, interlocutory appeal or upon review of the completed record in the Page 357 U. S. 9 course of its decision of the whole proceeding -- yet, as a practical matter, neither such discretionary appeal nor review of the completed record affords any certainty of the protection specified by Congress, in § 11(1), to be given by the Board against an improper or oppressive subpoena duces tecum. For, notwithstanding its duty under § 11(1), the Board, under § 102.57(c) of its Rules and Regulations, may refuse to allow such interlocutory appeal and, hence, refuse to rule upon the motion to revoke in advance of the time fixed by such subpoena for compliance. It is obvious that, after the illegal or oppressive subpoena has been enforced, the Board on its review of the completed record can no more relieve the consummated oppression than it can unring a bell. But, as the Court's opinion points out, Congress has provided, in § 11(2), that the Board's subpoenas may be enforced only by a United States District Court, and thus an effective means exists to revoke an illegal or oppressive subpoena duces tecum before the damage has been done. For this practical reason, I accept the legalisms of the Board's nondelegation argument, and concur in the decision of the Court.