Opinion ID: 1693624
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: quorum requirement

Text: Having determined that only two Workers' Compensation Court judges participated in the order of affirmance in Hagelstein's review, the jurisdictional question presented is whether the review panel of the Workers' Compensation Court was properly constituted of only two judges. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court correctly set forth the applicable rule in Commonwealth v. Petrillo, 340 Pa. 33, 48, 16 A.2d 50, 58 (1940), as follows: It may be stated as the general rule that the death, disqualification or absence of a judge will not deprive the surviving or remaining judges of authority to hold court and transact the business of the court, and in fact to exercise all functions pertaining to the particular court, provided, however, that the number of the court, is not reduced below that legally required for the transaction of its business.  (Emphasis supplied.) The question of how many Workers' Compensation Court judges are necessary to act as a review panel is addressed by Neb.Rev.Stat. § 48-156 (Reissue 1998), which provides: A majority of the judges of the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court shall constitute a quorum to adopt rules and regulations, as provided in sections 48-163 and 48-164, to transact business, except when the statute or a rule adopted by the compensation court permits one judge thereof to act, and three judges shall constitute a quorum for the review of any disputed claim for compensation. The act or decision of a majority of the judges constituting such quorum shall in all such cases be deemed the act or decision of the compensation court. (Emphasis supplied.) Our determination rests on the effect of the word quorum as used in § 48-156. It is well established that a quorum is defined as the number of persons that are members of a body when assembled who are legally competent to transact the business of such a body. Davidson v. State, 248 Ind. 26, 28, 221 N.E.2d 814 (1966), cert. denied 387 U.S. 911, 87 S.Ct. 1696, 18 L.Ed.2d 631 (1967). Accord, Matter of McGovern (Olson), 291 N.Y. 104, 51 N.E.2d 666 (1943); Snider v. Rinehart, 18 Colo. 18, 31 P. 716 (1892); Heiskell v. Mayor, etc., of Baltimore, 65 Md. 125, 4 A. 116 (1886); People v. Dale, 79 Cal.App.2d 370, 179 P.2d 870 (1947). The commonly recognized definition of a quorum is that it is such a number of a body as is competent to transact business in the absence of the other members. Slush v. Patterson, 201 Miss. 113, 29 So.2d 311 (1947). Accord, Morton v. Talmadge, 166 Ga. 620, 144 S.E. 111 (1928); The State ex rel. Cline v. Wilkesville Township, 20 Ohio St. 288 (1870). Quorum has also been defined as `[t]he number of members who must be present ... before business may be transacted.' (Emphasis in original.) Appeal of Net Realty Holding Trust, 127 N.H. 276, 278, 497 A.2d 865, 867 (1985) (quoting Black's Law Dictionary 1130 (5th ed.1979)). Accord, Photo-Sonics, Inc. v. N.L.R.B., 678 F.2d 121 (9th Cir.1982); Bray v. Barry, 91 R.I. 34, 160 A.2d 577 (1960). Compare Bond v. Nebraska Liquor Control Comm., 210 Neb. 663, 316 N.W.2d 600 (1982); Busboom v. Southeast Nebraska Tech. Community College, 194 Neb. 448, 232 N.W.2d 24 (1975). The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit interpreted a statute similar to § 48-156 in Tobin v. Ramey, 206 F.2d 505 (5th Cir.1953), cert. denied, Hughes Construction Co. v. Secretary of Labor, 346 U.S. 925, 74 S.Ct. 310, 98 L.Ed. 418 (1954). In interpreting a federal statute establishing a quorum requirement for the U.S. Court of Appeals, the Fifth Circuit concluded that [t]he word quorum as therein used means such a number of the members of the court as may legally transact judicial business. (Emphasis in original.) 206 F.2d at 507. Accord, Whitehall Tenants Corp. v. Whitehall Realty Co., 136 F.3d 230 (2d Cir.1998); Photo-Sonics, Inc. v. N.L.R.B., supra. We agree with the foregoing authority. The plain and ordinary meaning of the quorum requirement of § 48-156 is that review of a disputed claim must be conducted by no less than three judges of the Workers' Compensation Court. In the absence of anything to the contrary, statutory language is to be given its plain and ordinary meaning; an appellate court will not resort to interpretation to ascertain the meaning of statutory words which are plain, direct, and unambiguous. Central States Found. v. Balka, 256 Neb. 369, 590 N.W.2d 832 (1999). Consequently, a review panel of the compensation court must be composed of no less than three judges in order to have authority to act under the statutes. As a statutorily created court, the compensation court is a tribunal of limited and special jurisdiction and has only such authority as has been conferred on it by statute. Miller v. M.F.S. York/Stormor, 257 Neb. 100, 595 N.W.2d 878 (1999); Gibson v. Kurt Mfg., 255 Neb. 255, 583 N.W.2d 767 (1998). The record in this case shows that Judge LeClair participated in oral argument in this case but died before a decision was rendered. This fact, however, is of no consequence. The review of any disputed claim for compensation, as stated in § 48-156, must at least include participation, either concurring or dissenting, in the review panel's ultimate decision. In facing a similar situation relating to a three-judge panel hearing an application to enjoin an order of the Interstate Commerce Commission, the U.S. Supreme Court concluded: [W]e cannot say that the failure of the third judge to participate in the determination of a case, where the other two are in agreement as to the result, is without significance. The decision reached by two judges is not necessarily the one which might have been reached had they had the benefit of the views and conclusions of the third judge.... ... While all three judges of the specially constituted court heard the oral argument, only two of them participated in the determination of the case. The findings of fact, the conclusions of law and the judgment were all entered without the approval, concurrence or dissent of the third judge. He thus missed the very essence of the judicial function in this casethe actual adjudication of the issues of law and fact. All that we have here is an adjudication by two judges. But under the statute it is not enough that there be an adjudication by two judges. They lack any statutory authority to hear and determine [the case]. Ayrshire Collieries Corp. v. United States, 331 U.S. 132, 139, 67 S.Ct. 1168, 91 L.Ed. 1391 (1947). Accord State v. Lloyd A. Fry Roofing Co., 263 Or. 300, 502 P.2d 253 (1972). But see Dickinson State Bank v. Ogden, 624 S.W.2d 214 (Tex.Civ.App.1981), overruled on other grounds 662 S.W.2d 330 (Tex.1983). We agree. The very purpose of multijudge panels is to seek the input and opinion of experienced jurists during the critical juncture of an appellate casethe actual adjudication of the issues of law and fact. It does not suffice to have the adjudication of two judges under § 48-156.