Case Name: ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY OF ILLINOIS, Appellant, v. BEASLEY CONTRACTING COMPANY, INC. National Union Fire Insurance Co. of Pittsburgh, PA, and Charles E. Quinn, Appellees
Court: Mississippi Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: Mississippi
Decision Date: 2000-12-12
Citations: 779 So. 2d 1132
Docket Number: No. 1999-WC-02129-COA
Parties: ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY OF ILLINOIS, Appellant, v. BEASLEY CONTRACTING COMPANY, INC. National Union Fire Insurance Co. of Pittsburgh, PA, and Charles E. Quinn, Appellees.
Judges: Before KING, P.J., LEE, MYERS, and PAYNE, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 779
Pages: 1132–1140

Head Matter:
ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY OF ILLINOIS, Appellant, v. BEASLEY CONTRACTING COMPANY, INC. National Union Fire Insurance Co. of Pittsburgh, PA, and Charles E. Quinn, Appellees.
No. 1999-WC-02129-COA.
Court of Appeals of Mississippi.
Dec. 12, 2000.
Rehearing Denied Feb. 27, 2001.
Andrew D. Sweat, Alan C. Goodman, Jackson, for Appellants.
William 0. Rutledge III, New Albany, L. Pepper Cossar, Jackson, for Appellees.
Before KING, P.J., LEE, MYERS, and PAYNE, JJ.

Opinion:
PAYNE, J., for the Court:
FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
¶ 1. This appeal arises from two separate job-related workers' compensation claims filed by the appellee, Charles E. Quinn. Charles Quinn began his employment at Beasley Contracting in 1986. His job required that he perform various duties ranging from operating heavy equipment to welding and general construction. On March 5, 1996, Quinn was driving a company truck and was rear-ended. Quinn was examined at the hospital for low back pain stemming from the accident but returned to work shortly thereafter. The employer's insurance carrier at the time of this first work-related injury was National Union Fire Insurance Company (National).
¶ 2. Quinn's second work-related injury occurred on October 31, 1996, when he fell off an eighteen-inch ledge at the work site, injuring his knee and shoulder.- In the interim between his first and second injury, Quinn continued to work, though in severe pain, saying as his reason for doing so that he could not afford to stay home. After this second injury, Quinn did not return to work. The employer's insurance carrier at the time of Quinn's second injury was Zurich American Insurance (Zurich).
¶ 3. In her January 13, 1999 order, the administrative law judge found that Quinn was permanently and totally disabled as a result of his work-related accidents. On June 16, 1999, the Full Commission affirmed the administrative law judge. Feeling aggrieved of the Commission's decision, the employer, Beasley Contracting Company, Inc., and their current insurance carrier, Zurich (employer/carrier), then filed a notice of appeal with the Union County Circuit Court on July 13, 1999.
¶ 4. Because the notice of appeal was filed in Union County, which was not the proper venue, the case was transferred to Tippah County where Quinn lived. However, in transferring the record, the Union County Circuit Court erroneously sent the record to Lee County which subsequently, on August 18, 1999, transferred the case to Tippah County. On August 23, 1999, the employer/carrier received Lee County's August 18 order which transferred the matter to Tippah County. However, counsel for the employer/carrier never received any phone calls or correspondence after this date notifying him that the record had been placed on file in the Tippah County Circuit Court. On September 29, 1999, the Tippah County Circuit Court granted Quinn's motion to dismiss and remand for enforcement of the Full Commission's order. The employer/carrier then filed a motion to reconsider on October 5, 1999, a hearing was had on November 15, 1999, and the motion was denied November 18, 1999, after the hearing on the motion.
¶ 5. The current issue on appeal does not dispute the Commission's finding that Quinn was totally and permanently disabled and entitled to full benefits. The subject matter prompting the appeal from the Commission regards apportionment of benefit payments between the two insurance carriers. This appeal, however, involves the dismissal of that appeal based on whether or not the employer/carrier received proper notice that the case file had been transferred to Tippah County and whether this lack of notice excused the employer/carrier's failure to timely file their brief.
¶ 6. Because the circuit court gave no reason for its dismissal order nor gave a reason for denying the employer/carrier's motion to set aside, this Court, on September 29, 2000, entered an order for the circuit court to give written findings of fact and conclusions of law on which the judge based his orders. On October 31, 2000, that response by the circuit judge was filed and is attached as Appendix A to this opinion.
ANALYSIS OF THE ISSUES PRESENTED
STANDARD OF REVIEW
¶ 7. On appeal, the employer/carrier raises the following issues for our review:
I. WHETHER THE CIRCUIT COURT OF TIPPAH COUNTY'S DISMISSAL OF THE APPEAL OF BEASLEY CONTRACTING COMPANY, INC. AND ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY OF ILLINOIS FROM THE MISSISSIPPI WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION WAS IN VIOLATION OF RULE 2 OF THE MISSISSIPPI RULES OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE.
II. WHETHER THE CIRCUIT COURT OF TIPPAH COUNTY'S DISMISSAL OF APPELLANT'S APPEAL FROM THE MISSISSIPPI WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION CONSTITUTED AN ABUSE OF DISCRETION CONTRARY TO CONTROLLING LAW AND FACT.
¶ 8. In this case, the circuit court sat as an appellate court in reviewing the final order of the Workers' Compensation Commission. Uniform Circuit and County Court Rule 5.06 directs us to the Mississippi Rules of Appellate Procedure for instructions on how we are to procedurally examine this case:
Briefs filed in an appeal on the record must conform to the practice in the Supreme Court, including form, time of filing and service, except that the parties should file only an original and one copy of each brief. The consequences of failure to timely file a brief will be the same as in the Supreme Court. .
¶ 9. One of the questions in this case concerns the timely filing of briefs. Therefore, in accordance with URCCC 5.06, we look to the Mississippi Rules of Appellate Procedure in this case to examine the behavior of the court and of the parties.
¶ 10. Next, we look to our standard of reviewing a circuit court's dismissal of a case. "Since the adoption of the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure, it is clear that the granting of motions to dismiss is subject to the discretion of the trial court. This Court can only reverse when there has been an abuse of that discretion." Roebuck v. City of Aberdeen, 671 So.2d 49, 51 (Miss.1996) (citations omitted).
DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUES
I. WHETHER THE CIRCUIT COURT OF TIPPAH COUNTY'S DISMISSAL OF THE APPEAL OF BEASLEY CONTRACTING COMPANY, INC. AND ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY OF ILLINOIS FROM THE MISSISSIPPI WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION WAS IN VIOLATION OF RULE 2 OF THE MISSISSIPPI RULES OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE.
¶ 11. The employer/carrier's first issue, which is based on M.R.A.P. 2, was raised for the first time on appeal, and "[fjailure to raise the issue in the trial court bars it from being raised for the first time on appeal." Riggs v. State, 744 So.2d 365(¶ 26) (Miss.Ct.App.1999) (citations omitted). We note that we are not compelled to address this issue as it is procedurally barred since this is the first time appellant has raised this issue — not in his motion to set aside or otherwise up to this point.
II. WHETHER THE CIRCUIT COURT OF TIPPAH COUNTY'S DISMISSAL OF APPELLANT'S APPEAL FROM THE MISSISSIPPI WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION CONSTITUTED AN ABUSE OF DISCRETION CONTRARY TO CONTROLLING LAW AND FACT.
¶ 12. This appeal concerns procedural issues of notice and opportunity to respond and does not involve the merits of Quinn's workers' compensation claim or how to apportion the disability payment obligations between National and Zurich, the employer's two insurance carriers. After filing the appeal on July 13, 1999, in Union County, which was the wrong county, the employer/carrier's attorney mutually agreed with the claimant's attorney to transfer the case to the correct county. The employer/carrier received a copy of the August 18 order which indicated that the Lee County Circuit Court, on its own motion, was transferring the case to Tip-pah County. Upon learning that the transcripts were to be sent to Tippah County, counsel for the employer/carrier called the Tippah County Circuit Clerk and was told that he would be contacted when the record had been transmitted. For this reason, the employer/carrier's counsel claims he held off filing anything, and also claims he never received the September 29, 1999, notice of the motion to dismiss and order granting such until October 4,1999.
¶ 13. Rule 5.05 of the Uniform Rules of Circuit and County Court Practice places a duty on the appellant to see that the record is filed with the proper court within thirty days of filing the notice of appeal. Rule 10 of the Mississippi Rules of Appellate Procedure requires the appellant to designate those parts of the record the appellate court needs for their review. We surmise then that the appellant has the duty to ensure that such records arrive at the appropriate court, which the employer/carrier failed to do here.
¶ 14. Mississippi Rule of Appellate Procedure 31 describes the role of the circuit court clerk in such a situation and cites the grounds for dismissal:
(a) Immediately upon filing of the record in the office of the clerk of the Supreme Court, the clerk shall notify counsel of the filing of the record. However, failure of the clerk to give, or of a party to receive, notice of the filing of the record shall not excuse any delay in filing briefs.
(b) Time for Filing and Service of Briefs. The appellant shall serve and file the appellant's brief within W days after the date on which the record is filed. The appellee shall serve and file the appellee's brief within 30 days after service of the brief of the appellant. The appellant may serve and file a reply brief within 14 days after service of the brief of the appellee .
(d) If an appellant fails to file the appellant's brief within the time provided by this rule or within the time as extended, the appeal may be dismissed on motion of appellee or on the Supreme Court's own motion as provided in Rule 2. If an appellee fails to file the appellee's brief as required, such brief, if later filed, may be stricken from the record on motion of appellant or on the motion of the appropriate appellate court. An appellee who fails to file a brief will not be heard at oral argument except by permission of the court.
(emphasis added). In its motion to reconsider, set aside dismissal and reinstate appeal, counsel for the employer/carrier states that on August 23, 1999, he received an August 18, 1999, order from the Lee County Circuit Court transferring the case to the Tippah County Circuit Court. He states that at no time after August twenty-third nor before October fourth did he receive any notice regarding the record in this matter. However, unlike an original transcript from a trial court to the supreme court, the record from the administrative law judge was already transcribed for the appeal to the Commission, and all parties were familiar with its contents. On October 4, counsel received the motion to dismiss and order of dismissal, both dated September 29,1999.
¶ 15. On November 15, 1999, the circuit judge held a full hearing on the employer/carrier's October fifth motion to reconsider, set aside and reinstate its- appeal to which was attached-appellant's brief. After having read the record in detail and hearing oral argument, the circuit judge found that "the appellant had the duty and responsibility to abide by the time limitations and to maintain the status of then-own appeal." We conclude that the attorney acted at his own peril in failing to ensure that the record was properly transferred and the brief timely filed.
¶ 16. Mississippi Rule of Appellate Procedure 31(b) states, "the appellant shall serve and file the appellant's brief within 40 days after the date on which the record is filed." Here, Zurich missed this deadline and we find that the circuit court was proper in granting the motion to dismiss. In its findings of fact and conclusions of law, the circuit court first clarified that it dismissed the case because Zurich missed its deadline to file its brief. The court cited the rules that failure to file a brief is tantamount to a confession of error, and that the appellant failed to provide the proper court with the record within thirty days. See Barber v. Barber, 608 So.2d 1338, 1340 (Miss.1992) and URCCC 5.05. The court reiterated that the rules are in place for a reason, primarily to impose time limits on both sides, which acts to facilitate the efficiency of the appeals process.
¶ 17. Additionally, the circuit court considered the full record and the brief that was attached to the appellant's motion and found that the Commission's decision was based on substantial evidence and was without manifest error. In its findings of. fact and conclusions of law, the circuit court stated:
Furthermore, the Court, having reviewed and considered that the Mississippi Workers' Compensation Commission's decision is supported by substantial evidence and the applicable law, and having no manifest error present, intended to affirm the lower decision. Therefore, out of judicial economy, the Court deemed there was insufficient reason to reconsider the Motion to Dismiss when the matter would have been affirmed.
¶ 18. By virtue of the judge's order, Zurich knew the record was erroneously transmitted to Lee County on August 18, 1999, yet Zurich failed to file its brief within 40 days, pursuant to M.R.A.P. 31(b). We agree with the circuit court that Zurich missed its deadlines, yet had a full consideration of the matter. Therefore, we can find no evidence of abuse of discretion on the circuit judge's part and affirm the circuit court's finding on this procedural matter.
¶ 19. We also agree that in the interest of judicial economy, at the hearing on the motion to reconsider the order of dismissal, the circuit judge heard and determined the case on the merits. We agree with the judge's finding that the commission's determination of benefits and penalties payable to the claimant was based on substantial evidence and affirm the circuit court in all matters.
CONCLUSION
¶ 20. For the aforementioned reasons, we affirm the order of the circuit court and order that payments with penalties be made in accordance with the Commission's order.
¶ 21. THE JUDGMENT OF THE TIPPAH COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT IS AFFIRMED. ALL COSTS OF THIS APPEAL ARE TAXED TO APPELLANTS.
KING, P.J., IRVING, LEE, and MYERS, JJ., concur. McMILLIN, C.J, dissents with separate written opinion joined by SOUTHWICK, P.J., BRIDGES, MOORE, and THOMAS, JJ.
. As described earlier, the notice of appeal was initially filed in Union County. The Union County Circuit court erroneously transferred the case to Lee County who, in turn, then transferred the case to Tippah county, which was the proper court. '