Opinion ID: 1390098
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: is a decision based upon a confession of error law of the case?

Text: The doctrine of the law of the case is generally held to be a rule of policy and not one of law. 5 Am.Jur.2d Appeal and Error § 744 (1962). Further, this court has recognized that the doctrine of law of the case is a harsh rule and that it should not be strictly applied when it would result in a manifestly unjust decision. Sibley v. Jeffreys, 81 Ariz. 272, 276, 305 P.2d 427, 429 (1956). Because of the potential harshness of this doctrine, many exceptions to its application have arisen. For example, the law of the case is not applied when 1) there has been a change in the essential facts or issues; 2) there has been a substantial change of evidence; 3) there has been an error in the first appellate decision so as to render it manifestly erroneous or unjust; 4) there has been a change in the applicable law; 5) the issue was not actually decided in the first decision or the decision is ambiguous; and 6) the doctrine is inapplicable if the prior appellate decision was not on the merits. 5 Am.Jur.2d Appeal and Error §§ 748-752 (1962). We believe this case falls squarely into the last exception. The court of appeals, in its memorandum decision, treated claimant's failure to file an answering brief as confession of error, citing Bugh v. Bugh, 125 Ariz. 190, 608 P.2d 329 (App. 1980), and set aside the award. In its opinion of 11 July 1985, the court of appeals stated: As to the contention that the reversal was not a ruling upon the merits, we think it important to note that the doctrine of confession of reversible error is discretionary with the appellate court. Bugh v. Bugh, 125 Ariz. 190, 608 P.2d 329 (App. 1980). In Bugh, we affirmed the lower court decision, the lack of an answering brief notwithstanding. It is this very discretion that implies a consideration of the merits where the cause is reversed. 149 Ariz. at 486, 720 P.2d at 87. We do not agree. The court of appeals in Bugh, supra, ignored the confession of error based upon failure to file an answering brief and decided the case on the merits. As such, it was the law of the case. In the instant matter, the memorandum decision of the court of appeals was on its face not a determination on the merits, and such cannot be implied merely because the court could have considered the matter on the merits had the court wished to do so. See Bugh, supra ; Gonzales v. Gonzales, 134 Ariz. 437, 657 P.2d 425 (App. 1982). It was, thus, not the law of the case on the issue of whether claimant was an independent contractor. The administrative law judge was correct in holding that it was not the law of the case on any issues in the trial de novo before the Industrial Commission. See In Re Monaghan's Estate, 71 Ariz. 334, 227 P.2d 227 (1951); 5 Am.Jur.2d Appeal and Error § 754 (1962). The award and decision of the administrative law judge is thereby affirmed.