Opinion ID: 2356724
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: weiser sufficiently preserved his pre-emption claim

Text: ¶ 13 Weiser first challenges the district court's finding that the effective date of a claim under the Pre-emption Act of 1841 is the date the deed or land patent was conveyed. However, a threshold issue is whether Weiser preserved this claim for appeal. Union Pacific asserts that he did not, such that neither the district court nor the opposing party had notice of the issue or the opportunity to properly respond. ¶ 14 To preserve an issue for appellate review, a party must first raise the issue in the trial court, giving that court an opportunity to rule on the issue. Searle v. Searle, 2001 UT App 367, ¶ 17, 38 P.3d 307 (internal quotation marks omitted). Further, `[f]or an issue to be sufficiently raised, even if indirectly, it must at least be raised to a level of consciousness such that the trial judge can consider it.' LeBaron & Assocs. v. Rebel Enters., 823 P.2d 479, 483 (Utah Ct.App.1991) (quoting James v. Preston, 746 P.2d 799, 802 (Utah Ct.App.1987)). In this case, the district court judge had the opportunity to consider the issue, as evidenced by the conclusion of law set forth in the court's final judgment. The court stated, [T]he Court rejected Weiser's argument that the Property was taken out of the public lands because Weiser's original predecessor (Tomlinson) had acquired a homestead or pre-emption interest in the property. Weiser contended that Tomlinson's interest in the property was superior to the Railroad's because Tomlinson presented his Declaratory Statement of Pre-emption on April 17, 1869, before the Conditional Grant was approved by Congress and therefore the Property was not part of the public lands at the time Congress approved the Conditional Grant. Weiser contended that his position was supported by case authority. The Court rejected Weiser's arguments and concluded that the period of time for perfecting an interest in Property through the doctrine of pre-emption is determined by the date that the final proof of pre-emption was completed on July 6, 1872 and not on April 17, 1869 when Tomlinson's Declaratory Statement of Pre-emption was made. Because the Court concluded that the date of proof is the controlling date for the purpose of determining when whether [sic] the Property was part of the public lands, the Court determined that the evidence proffered by Weiser at an evidentiary hearing that Tomlinson['s] Declaratory Statement was made on the public record on April 17, 1869 (before the Conditional Grant was approved by Congress) was irrelevant. ¶ 15 As shown, the district court considered the issue of the relevant date for establishing a pre-emption claim. Although it is not apparent that Weiser presented specific legal authority for his position, the court was aware of, considered, and made an explicit ruling on the issue, noting that Weiser asserted case law authority for the proposition. As such, Weiser sufficiently preserved the issue for appeal.