Opinion ID: 1874810
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 19

Heading: Dr. Stern

Text: For his third point, Chambers contends that in considering the trial court's grant of summary judgment in favor of Stern, we should conduct a de novo review. In making this contention, Chambers invites this court to revisit the issue of whether Stern was actually appointed by the chancery court for custody and visitation purposes and that, in any event, Stern practiced fraud on the chancery court and the Chambers family by misrepresenting his credentials and by employing an experimental therapeutic model. Stern counters this by noting that the mandate in Stern I was for the trial court, on remand, to determine whether Stern's treatment of the Chambers family exceeded the scope of the chancery court's orders. Stern adds that Chambers failed to present any evidence that Stern's therapy exceeded the scope of those orders. We agree with Stern's assessment. This court, in Stern I , specifically set forth the determinations it wanted the trial court to make: Accordingly, on remand, the trial court must determine as a matter of law [FN1] whether Dr. Stern's actions were within the scope of his court-appointed capacity, and if so, his actions taken pursuant to the appointment are entitled to judicial immunity. FN1. Whether absolute immunity exists is a question of law for the courts. See generally 46 AM.JUR.2d § 68 (1994 & Supp.1999). However, if the trial court determines that Dr. Stern's actions were outside the scope of the court's appointment, it must determine at what point Dr. Stern exceeded the order and, consequently, forfeited his immunity. Specifically, the trial court must review Dr. Stern's involvement with the Chamberses from June 22, 1993, to April 18, 1994, in light of the chancery court's June 22, 1993, temporary relief order directing the following: That while the Court does not find a physical and mental evaluation of the parties or the children appropriate, the Court does find that a qualified therapist or counselor agreed to by the parties should meet with and counsel the parties and the children relative to the divorce proceedings in which they are involved and the visitation and other matters related thereto and to conduct all necessary evaluations on the parties and children in connection therewith; that only one therapist or counselor should be used for all the children and the parties and that therapist or counselor should report directly to the Court his or her findings and observations and the Court will handle the release of such report to the attorneys for the respective parties; that if the parties are unable to agree on the therapist or counselor to be used, the Court will appoint a therapist or counselor after giving each of the parties an opportunity to supply the Court with the names and qualifications of any therapists or counselors suggested by them for use herein; that Defendant shall be responsible for the payment, as and when due, of all charges made by the therapist or counselor; and that both the parties shall cooperate with and be responsive to the requests and directions of the therapist or counselor involved. (Emphasis added.) Next, the trial court must review Dr. Stern's interactions with the Chamberses from April 18, 1994, through the later of (1) the last therapy session by any family member with Dr. Stern, or (2) Dr. Stern's final communication with the chancery court, in light of the chancery court's April 18, 1994, divorce decree, directing the following: The parties and the children are directed to cooperate with the Court appointed therapist, H. Patrick Stern, M.D., to resolve visitation problems. Visitation is to be pursuant to Dr. Stern's direction pending further order of the Court. [FN2] The Defendant is hereby directed to pay all charges associated with the subject therapy related to visitations problems pending further order of the Court. (Emphasis added.) FN2. We render no opinion regarding (1) the validity of the trial court's instruction that, Visitation is to be pursuant to Dr. Stern's direction pending further order of the Court, or (2) the effect of the validity of that instruction upon the application of judicial immunity to Dr. Stern. The instruction's validity was not challenged, and these issues are not before us on appeal. Only after the trial court resolves the aforementioned legal issues may the jury consider the merits of appellant's malpractice claim. Stern I, 338 Ark. at 338-40, 994 S.W.2d at 466-67. On remand, the trial court made its decision. It determined that Stern's actions were within the scope of his court-appointed capacity and that he was entitled to judicial immunity. Again, Chambers has offered no proof to the contrary, and we will not consider, under our doctrine of law of the case, issues that could have been raised in the first appeal, such as the validity of the judicial appointment and fraud, but were not. See McDonald's Corp. v. Hawkins, 319 Ark. 1, 888 S.W.2d 649 (1994); Alexander v. Chapman, 299 Ark. 126, 771 S.W.2d 744 (1989). Affirmed. IMBER, J., not participating.