Opinion ID: 163864
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Residential Care Act

Text: 18 Plaintiffs next argue that the Residential Care Act, Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 63, § 1-819 through § 1-842, and regulations promulgated thereunder articulate a strong public policy that would prevent their termination. Plaintiffs point specifically to § 1-821(A)(8), which authorizes the Oklahoma State Department of Health to 19 develop and enforce rules and regulations... to implement the provisions of the Residential Care Act. Such rules and regulations shall include but not be limited to governing temperature limits, lighting, ventilation, and other physical conditions which shall protect the health, safety, and welfare of the residents in the home. 20 Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 63, § 1-821(A)(8) (emphasis added). Plaintiffs do not identify any specific regulation promulgated under this section to support their position. 21 As discussed above, we may consider the Residential Care Act and regulations promulgated thereunder because these laws apply to Defendant's facility. However, Plaintiffs failed to mention these statutes and regulations until their brief on appeal. By failing to assert these laws as the basis for their claim of a public policy exception before the district court and by failing to develop their argument based on these laws before this Court, we find that Plaintiffs have waived this argument. 22 An issue is waived if it was not raised below in the district court. Walker v. Mather, 959 F.2d 894, 896 (10th Cir. 1992). Although we may resolve an issue not raised below where the proceedings below resulted in a record of amply sufficient detail and depth from which the determination may be made, United States v. Mendez, 118 F.3d 1426, 1431 n. 2 (10th Cir.1997) (quotation omitted), we will not consider a new theory that falls under the same general category as an argument presented [before the district court] or ... a theory that was discussed in a vague and ambiguous way. Bancamerica Commercial Corp. v. Mosher Steel of Kansas, Inc., 100 F.3d 792, 798-99 (10th Cir.1996). In reviewing a ruling on summary judgment, we will not consider evidence that was not before the district court. John Hancock Mut. Life Ins. Co. v. Weisman, 27 F.3d 500, 506 (10th Cir.1994) (citation omitted). We also will not consider issues that are raised on appeal but not adequately addressed. Ambus v. Granite Bd. of Educ., 975 F.2d 1555, 1558 n. 1 (10th Cir.1992). 23 Applying these principles, we conclude that Plaintiffs have waived an argument premised on the Residential Care Act and its regulations. Although Plaintiffs mention the Residential Care Act as support for their Burk tort claim in their brief on appeal, they do not specifically address a single substantive provision of the Act or identify a single regulation promulgated under the Act to advance their argument. For us to conclude that these laws and regulations established a public policy exception, we would have to understand how they governed Defendant's employees, how their purposes were effected, and what public health risk Plaintiffs argue was at stake. Because none of this analysis was presented to the district court or to this Court, it is simply impossible for us to conclude that the Residential Care Act articulates a strong Oklahoma public policy preventing Plaintiffs' termination. Thus, any argument premised on the Residential Care Act must fail. 24