Opinion ID: 2513931
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Plaintiffs' Prayer For Declaratory Relief In The Circuit Court

Text: On March 9, 2001, the plaintiffs filed a complaint in the present matter in the first circuit court seeking declaratory and injunctive relief. In Count I, the plaintiffs alleged that HRS chapter 368 violates article I, section 13 of the Hawai'i Constitution, see supra note 3, on the basis that it does not contain a provision for a respondent to opt out of the HCRC [proceedings] and obtain a jury trial in [c]ircuit [c]ourt on the allegations of discrimination that have been alleged against it by a complainant. In Count II, the plaintiffs alleged that HRS chapter 368 violates article I, section 5 of the Hawai'i Constitution, see supra note 4, on the basis that the denial of a respondent's right to a jury trial denied a respondent due process of law. In Count III, the plaintiffs alleged that HRS chapter 368 denies respondents the equal protection of the laws, in violation of article I, section 5 of the Hawai'i Constitution, see supra note 4, because it affords complainants but not respondents the right to a jury trial. In Count IV, the plaintiffs prayed for an order staying the proceedings before the HCRC involving the complainants' allegations, inter alia, until final adjudication of the [plaintiffs'] constitutional claims[.] On April 12, 2001, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint, which did not differ substantively from the initial complaint, to which the defendants Sims, Quinata, the executive director, and commissioners each filed answers. Also on March 9, 2001, the plaintiffs moved for a preliminary injunction ordering the executive director to stay the consolidated cases involving the complainants that were pending before the HCRC. The circuit court denied the motion on June 13, 2001. On June 5, 2001, the plaintiffs filed a motion for summary judgment as to all of the counts contained in their first amended complaint. On June 20, 2001, the defendants Sims, Quinata, the executive director, and commissioners, each filed a memorandum in opposition to the plaintiffs' motion. Sims argued, inter alia, that, based on the public rights doctrine, respondents before the HCRC are not entitled to a jury trial. Quinata urged the circuit court not to reach the plaintiffs' constitutional claims on the basis that, regardless of the constitutionality of HRS chapter 368, there were genuine issues of material fact as to whether the plaintiffs had waived any right to a jury trial. [7] The executive director maintained that the plaintiffs had no fundamental right to a jury trial in administrative proceedings and were merely expressing their desire to select the forum of their choice. In addition, the executive director argued that the plaintiffs were required to exhaust their administrative remedies before they could even assert the right to a jury trial. The commissioners argued: (1) that, because the legislature had created a new statutory claim for relief, no constitutional right to a jury trial was implicated; (2) that the statutory scheme creating the HCRC did not infringe respondents' right to the equal protection of the laws, inasmuch as the scheme survived rational basis review; and (3) that the preponderance of the case law of foreign jurisdictions supported the proposition that there was no right to a jury trial in an administrative forum. On July 15, 2001, the circuit court granted the plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment. The circuit court ruled: (1) that the public rights doctrine was inapplicable to HRS chapter 368 because the statutory framework provided for private remedies; (2) that, because HRS chapter 368 afforded complainants and respondents disparate access to a jury trial, thereby implicating a fundamental constitutional right, the state was subject to the burden of surviving strict scrutiny review; (3) that the state had failed to meet its burden of establishing that HRS chapter 368 survived strict scrutiny review; and (4) consequently, that HRS § 368-12, see supra note 1, and HAR 12-46-20, see supra note 2, violated article I, sections 5 and 13 of the Hawai'i Constitution, see supra notes 3 and 4, and the fourteenth amendment to the United States Constitution. [8] Accordingly, the circuit court enjoined the HCRC from any further proceedings in the cases involving [the plaintiffs] until [the plaintiffs are] given a right to opt out of the HCRC administrative proceedings and seek a jury trial in the [c]ircuit [c]ourt on the common law damage claims alleged in the HCRC docketed cases. The circuit court limited its ruling to the parties in the present matter and specifically did not prohibit the HCRC from continuing its activities with respect to other claims brought by complainants before the HCRC. On August 6, 2001, the HCRC defendants filed motions to stay the circuit court's injunction and for reconsideration. On September 24, 2001, the circuit court denied both motions. On August 20, 2001, the complainants filed a joint notice of appeal. On August 23, 2001, the HCRC defendants filed a notice of appeal, which they amended to a joint notice on October 3, 2001.