Opinion ID: 1387324
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: personal sanctions are imposed personally and individually on attorney for talbot pursuant to i.a.r. 11, in the amount of respondent's reasonable attorney fees on appeal

Text: The Idaho Constitution created the judicial branch of government in Idaho and vested in the judiciary certain powers. Idaho Const. art. 2, § 1; art. 5, § 2; art. 5, § 13. Included in those judicial powers are certain powers which inherently arise from the nature of the judicial system and the necessity of the courts to carry out its judicial functions. It has long been understood that [c]ertain implied powers must necessarily result to our Courts of justice from the nature of their institution, powers which cannot be dispensed within a Court, because they are necessary to the exercise of all others. United States v. Hudson, 7 Cranch. 32, 34, 3 L.Ed. 259 (1812); see also Roadway Express, Inc. v. Piper, 447 U.S. 752, 764, 100 S.Ct. 2455, 2463, 65 L.Ed.2d 488 (1990) (citing Hudson ). For this reason, Courts of justice are universally acknowledged to be vested, by their very creation, with power to impose silence, respect, and decorum, in their presence, and submission to their lawful mandates. Anderson v. Dunn, 6 Wheat. 204, 227, 5 L.Ed. 242 (1821); see also Ex parte Robinson, 19 Wall. 505, 510 [22 L.Ed. 205]. These powers are governed not by rule or statute but by the control necessarily vested in courts to manage their own affairs so as to achieve the orderly and expeditious disposition of cases. Link v. Wabash R. Co., 370 U.S. 626, 630-631, 82 S.Ct. 1386, 1388-1389, 8 L.Ed.2d 734 (1962). Chambers, 501 U.S. 32 at 43, 111 S.Ct. 2123 at 2132. It is well established that the Idaho Supreme Court is uniquely empowered with certain inherent powers. The Court has the inherent power to make rules governing the procedure in all of Idaho's courts. In re: SRBA Case No 39576, 95.13 ISCR 547, 550 (1995) (upholding the Court's inherent rulemaking authority); State v. Beam, 121 Idaho 862, 863, 828 P.2d 891, 892 (1992) (holding that the Court has the inherent authority to make rules governing the procedure in Idaho courts). The Court's inherent power to regulate the practice of law also includes the Court's power to regulate and control the admission of new members to the Idaho State Bar and the power to discipline attorneys who appear before the Court. Rhodes v. Industrial Comm'n, 125 Idaho 139, 141, 868 P.2d 467, 469 (1993) ([T]he judicial department of the government is uniquely imbued with the power to regulate the practice of law.); King v. Department of Employment, 110 Idaho 312, 314, 715 P.2d 982, 984 (1986) (the regulation of the practice of law is the sole responsibility of this Court); Kyle v. Beco Corp., 109 Idaho 267, 271, 707 P.2d 378, 382 (1985) (The regulation of the practice of law ... [is the] province[] of the judiciary, and ultimately of the Supreme Court, of this State[.]); Pichon v. Benjamin, 108 Idaho 852, 854, 702 P.2d 890, 892 (1985) (The regulation of the practice of law is an inherent power of the judiciary.); Idaho State Bar Assoc. v. Idaho Pub. Util., 102 Idaho 672, 675, 637 P.2d 1168, 1171 (1981) (setting aside those portions of the Public Utilities Commission's rules of practice and procedure that infringed upon the inherent power of the Court to define and regulate the practice of law and holding that among the constitutionally granted judicial powers is the power to supervise the practice of law); In re Schmidt, 100 Idaho 729, 730, 604 P.2d 1208, 1209 (1980) (holding that the Supreme Court possesses jurisdiction to decide petitioner's request for waiver of Rule 103 regulating the admission of petitioner to the Idaho Bar, by way of the Court's inherent power to regulate the practice of law in the State of Idaho); In re Bowen, 95 Idaho 334, 335, 508 P.2d 1240, 1241 (1973) (The responsibility for ordering the suspension or disbarment of an attorney in Idaho ultimately rests with this Court[.]); In re Kaufman, 69 Idaho 297, 315, 206 P.2d 528, 539 (1949) (holding that the process of admitting persons to the bar, fixing standards for admission, and determining whether an applicant meets the requisite standards is a judicial function that is inherent in the courts); In re Lavin, 59 Idaho 197, 199, 81 P.2d 727, 727 (1938) ([T]he admission or exclusion of persons from the practice of law is a judicial power.); In re Edwards, 45 Idaho 676, 687-90, 266 P. 665, 668-69 (1928) (striking down portions of a statute that conferred judicial powers upon the board of commissioners of the Idaho State Bar and reserving to the Supreme Court the province of regulation of the practice of law, other than administerial tasks, through prescribing qualifications to those seeking admission to the practice of law.); Neil v. Public Util. Comm'n, 32 Idaho 44, 56, 178 P. 271, 275 (1919) (holding that purely judicial, and not legislative or administrative questions, can only be adjudicated in a court invested with judicial powers). Also among the inherent powers of the judicial branch is the authority vested in the courts to protect and maintain the dignity and integrity of the court room and to achieve the orderly and expeditious disposition of cases. Chambers, 501 U.S. at 43, 111 S.Ct. at 2132 (The courts are vested by their very nature with power to impose silence, respect, and decorum ..., and submission to their lawful mandates[] and with the means to manage their own affairs so as to achieve the orderly and expeditious disposition of cases.) (citing Anderson v. Dunn, 6 Wheat. 204, 227, 5 L.Ed. 242 (1874); Link v. Wabash R. Co., 370 U.S. 626, 630-31, 82 S.Ct. 1386, 1388-89, 8 L.Ed.2d 734 (1962)); State v. Currington, 108 Idaho 539, 539-41, 700 P.2d 942, 942-43 (1985) (holding that courts possess the following inherent powers: the inherent power to hear an appeal from an order made after judgment that affected the substantial rights of defendant, the inherent power to promulgate procedural rules, and the inherent power to fix bail which is grounded in the power to hold a defendant.); see also State ex rel. Evans v. Click, 102 Idaho 443, 450, 631 P.2d 614, 621 (1981) (holding that courts possess the inherent power to insure compliance with the intent of statutes and with the court's orders.) cert. denied sub nom. Click v. Idaho, 457 U.S. 1116, 102 S.Ct. 2927, 73 L.Ed.2d 1328 (1982); St. John v. O'Reilly, 80 Idaho 429, 434, 333 P.2d 467, 470 (1958) (holding that where objections, motions, or other causes continue to be pending after the expiration of the term of the court, the court has the inherent power to complete and conclude such business at the succeeding term.). Of particular relevance to the present case, is the power of the courts to sanction those who appear before it. Riggins v. Smith, 126 Idaho 1017, 1022, 895 P.2d 1210, 1215 (1995) (upholding the district court's sua sponte imposition of sanctions against attorney, pursuant to I.R.C.P. 11(a)(1)); Loughmiller v. Interstate Farmlines, Inc., 107 Idaho 179, 179-80, 687 P.2d 569, 569-70 (1984) (imposing sanctions for delay in payment of benefits to claimant). This Court adopted rules to provide guidance to the courts in the exercise of these inherent powers. Idaho Appellate Rule 11.1 provides: Rule 11.1 Signing of notice of appeals, petitions, motions, briefs and other papers; sanctions. Every notice of appeal, petition, motion, brief and other document of a party represented by an attorney shall be signed by at least one (1) licensed attorney of record of the state of Idaho, in the attorney's individual name, whose address shall be stated before the same may be filed. A party who is not represented by an attorney shall sign the notice of appeal, petition, motion, brief or other document and state the party's address. The signature of an attorney or party constitutes a certificate that the attorney or party has read the notice of appeal, petition, motion, brief or other document; that to the best of the signer's knowledge, information, and belief after reasonable inquiry it is well grounded in fact and is warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing law, and that it is not interposed for any improper purpose, such as to harass or to cause unnecessary delay or needless increase in the cost of litigation. If the notice of appeal, petition, motion, brief, or other document is signed in violation of this rule, the court, upon motion or upon its own initiative, shall impose upon the person who signed it, a represented party, or both, an appropriate sanction, which may include an order to pay to the other party or parties the amount of the reasonable expenses incurred because of the filing of the notice of appeal, petition, motion, brief or other document including a reasonable attorney's fee. Under I.A.R. 11.1 this Court shall impose sanctions upon an attorney who signs a notice of appeal, petition, motion, or brief that is not well grounded in fact, warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for the extension, modification or reversal of existing law, or is interposed for any improper purpose. I.A.R. 11.1; Ross v. Tupperware Mfg. Co./Premark, 122 Idaho 641, 643, 837 P.2d 316, 318 (1992); see also Chambers v. NASCO, Inc., 501 U.S. 32, 50, 111 S.Ct. 2123, 2136, 115 L.Ed.2d 27 (1991) ([W]hen there is bad-faith conduct in the course of litigation that could be adequately sanctioned under the rules, the court ordinarily should rely on the rules rather than the inherent power. But if in the informed discretion of the court, neither the statue nor the rules are up to the task, the court may safely rely on its inherent power.) Pursuant to I.A.R. 11.1, this Court imposes sanctions on the attorney for Talbot, Gregory C. May, personally and individually, in a sum equal to reasonable attorney fees incurred by respondent on appeal. The attorney for Talbot, Mr. Gregory C. May, admitted during oral argument before this Court, that substantial and competent evidence in the record supports the Commission's finding that the preponderance of the medical evidence established that the September 1991 incident did not cause an injury nor did it cause or aggravate the condition for which Talbot seeks worker's compensation. Mr. May acknowledged that Dr. Larsen and Dr. Norman offered differing and conflicting testimony as to the causal relationship between Talbot's condition and the September 1991 incident, and admitted that each presented sufficient evidence to support a finding by the Commission. In making these admissions to this Court, with no other assertion, argument, or claim for relief, Mr. May conceded without reservation or exception that he had no basis for the appeal. In addition to Mr. May's acknowledgement that the record supported the findings of the Commission, Mr. May's sole argument on appeal was an attempt to have this Court try the case anew. Mr. May requested this Court to reexamine the findings of the Commission and to reweigh the evidence and credibility determinations of the Commission, which this Court may not do as prescribed by the Constitution, statute, and established precedent. Idaho Const. art. V, § 9; Langley v. Idaho Industrial Special Indemnity Fund, 126 Idaho 781, 784, 890 P.2d 732, 735 (1995); Challis v. Louisiana-Pac. Corp., 126 Idaho 134, 138, 879 P.2d 597, 601; Davaz v. Priest River Glass Co., 125 Idaho 333, 336, 870 P.2d 1292, 1295 (1994); Roberts v. Kit Mfg. Co., 124 Idaho 946, 947, 866 P.2d 969, 970 (1993). We agree with Ames Construction's argument that the attorney for Talbot, Gregory C. May, acted in bad faith in bringing this appeal. There was no good-faith argument by this attorney for an extension or modification of existing law. There was no basis in fact for this appeal due to this attorney's admission that substantial, competent evidence supported the Commission's findings. There were no legal arguments presented to this Court as a basis for an appeal of this case. Mr. May had no basis for this appeal, wasted judicial resources, and acted in bad faith in pursuit of this appeal. We conclude that the imposition of personal sanctions against Gregory C. May pursuant to I.A.R. 11.1 are warranted.