Opinion ID: 1650180
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Did the Plaintiff Waive His Right to Challenge the Adequacy of the Department's Findings?

Text: [1] On appeal, this court will not consider issues beyond those which were properly before the court below. This rule applies equally to determinations made by the Department. Gallagher v. Industrial Comm., 9 Wis.2d 361, 368, 101 N.W.2d 72 (1960). The Department argues that Mr. Goranson did not properly preserve the issue of the adequacy of the Department's findings because he did not raise the issue before the Department. [2, 3] Waiver principles are not applicable to the errors alleged by the applicant in this case. It is not the examiner's order and findings that are appealed from, it is the Department's order. When the Department adopts the findings and order of the examiner, those findings become the Department's own. Fitz v. Industrial Comm., 10 Wis.2d 202, 209, 102 N.W.2d 93 (1960). The ultimate responsibility for the findings made, is upon the Department itself. Consequently, on judicial review, it is the findings of the Department which are scrutinized for their adequacy. Ace Refrigeration & H. Co. v. Industrial Comm., 32 Wis.2d 311, 315, 145 N.W.2d 777 (1966); accord, Indianhead Truck Lines v. Industrial Comm., 17 Wis.2d 562, 567, 117 N.W.2d 679 (1962). The applicant in this case challenged virtually every finding made by the examiners in seeking review of their order before the Department. When the Department adopted the examiners' findings without modification, those findings became controlling on judicial review. If these findings are inadequate or contrary to law, the applicant cannot be deemed to have waived the defects by failing to point out the error to the agency. If the Department does not modify the findings of the examiners when those findings are challenged, and judicial review is sought, the error in the adequacy of the findings is not waived.