Opinion ID: 1427784
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the challenge to certification

Text: The circuit court panel has presented this Court with the opportunity to review the two lines of Idaho cases which involve the release of retained water and respond with what we perceive to be the case law precedent applicable to the circumstances here presented. These circumstances appear to be almost identical to those presented in Kunz I, 526 F.2d 500 (9th Cir.1975), to the Honorable Ray McNichols, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for Idaho, and in turn to the circuit court panel. When Kunz II was at the trial court level, Judge Callister, unlike Judge McNichols, did not allow the plaintiffs to pursue all of their theories of Utah Power's liability, which included trespass, nuisance, strict liability, and negligence. Sua sponte, Judge Callister relegated the plaintiff to the single theory of negligence. Why he did that knowing full well that Judge McNichols had done otherwise under almost identical circumstances cannot be ascertained from the record. Seemingly, when the plaintiff landowners learned in the 1975 action that they were entitled to pursue all of their theories, it would have been discomforting to be denied that same opportunity in the sequel case. A jury presented with all cognizable theories would be better able to discern which, if any, fit the evidence displayed for them by the parties. A jury which was only instructed on one issue, in this instance, negligence, was shorted. The net result is that, should the circuit court panel conclude, albeit without this Court's assistance, that any one of the other three spurned theories is valid, the plaintiff landowners will face the expense of a second jury trial against an adversary better endowed monetarily. The circuit court panel obviously has no desire to preclude the plaintiffs from that second jury trial, and equally obvious, the landowners are willing to endure the expense and have at it. Accordingly, the panel has asked this Court to advise as to our perception of the state of Idaho law. My view is that this Court should endeavor to make a thorough review and analysis of all the pertinent case law touching on the subject. Before we were positioned to approach that endeavor, Utah Power attempted to head us off at the pass. In a thirty page brief it opposed the panel's request for acceptance of the certified questions. The briefing which so sought to dissuade us was equally as supplicative as the brief which was later submitted addressing the issues presented by the three certified questions. The main theories of Utah Power's brief opposing the acceptance of the certified questions were two-fold: (1) That the panel misperceived what was to be learned from its rather extensive delving into Idaho case law precedent, much of which it has brought to our attention; and (2) that in any case for damages which is predicated on liability for interference with established and recognized water courses, negligence is the only applicable standard. In urging the first, Utah Power declared that the panel's suggestion that there is a second line of cases, highlighted by Campion v. Simpson, 104 Idaho 413, 659 P.2d 766 (1983), is not accurate. Not only are these cases factually distinguishable, but they also required proof of negligence before liability will be found. Defendant's Brief in Opposition to Certification at 14-15. The brief proceeds to explain the facts of Campion and in the process explains that liability could not be imposed on Simpson, who was only acting to protect his own property, without proof that the actions were unreasonable or negligent. Id. at 15 (emphasis added). Absence of negligence is not necessarily reasonableness. Negligence was not involved in Campion, so it is removed from the equation, leaving only unreasonable as the adjective describing Simpson's conduct. At least the author of the brief recognized that wrongful and negligent are not synonymous. Negligence, otherwise known as fault, equates with carelessness, inattentiveness, or indifference. Wrongful conduct is conduct which is more akin to being deliberate, intentional, or calculated. In fact, the brief uses the word intentional in describing Simpson's conduct in filling two of three channels of the Wood River in an effort to protect his own banks, thereby increasing the flow in the third channel and ultimately damaging Campion's property. At page 16 of Utah Power's brief opposing certification, it made what appears to be an effort to synthesize negligent conduct and wrongful conduct as being one and the same. It did this by intimating that a comparative negligence standard is applicable where wrongful conduct combines with other causes to produce damages, citing Campion, 104 Idaho at 416-17, 659 P.2d at 769-70. The attempt fell short of its mark, however, and that argument was abandoned by simplisticly stating that without negligent conduct or wrongful conduct, there can be no liability. The brief failed to establish any inaccuracy on the part of the panel in its view of Campion, and is a remarkable display of creative brief writing at its best. Negligent and wrongful, in describing conduct, are two words with different meanings. Neither includes the other, but either can create liability. Touching briefly on the second point of the brief's theme, it rather consistently, but ineffectively, argues: 3. Negligence is the standard in water course cases. As has been illustrated amply above, there is substantial Idaho law on the proper standards to be applied in water diversion, impoundment and discharge cases which involve watercourses or defined bodies such as lakes and reservoirs. Liability can be found in such cases only when there is proof of negligence. This court has spoken conclusively and repeatedly to that issue. Any attempt to impose liability without proof of fault is completely contrary to that very clear line of Idaho law and is precisely the reason the district court refused to allow these alternative theories to be pursued by the landowners at trial. Whether it is called `nuisance' or `trespass,' landowners are continuing to argue that they need not prove the negligence of Utah Power in order to sustain a prima facie case. Because there is ample Idaho law giving guidance on these issues, certification is unnecessary and should be rejected. CONCLUSION Since this court has repeatedly and clearly spoken to the appropriate theory that may be used in an attempt to impose liability in water diversion, impoundment and transportation cases, there is no justification for accepting the Ninth Circuit's request for certification in this case. This court has clearly held that one may not be liable in cases of this type without proof of fault. Since all three of the theories pursued by the landowners, and now certified by the Ninth Circuit, would impose liability without proof of fault, they run contrary to clearly delineated Idaho decisions and unreasonably restrict the full development and use of one of the most vital resources in the State of Idaho, its water. The request for certification should be denied and the case returned to the Ninth Circuit for final resolution. Defendant's Brief in Opposition to Certification, 29-30. Only the theory of strict liability, Rylands v. Fletcher, 1 Eng.Rul.Cas. 236 (1868), could be said to allow imposition of liability without fault. The logical conclusion to be drawn from Utah Power's unprecedented attack against certification made in this Court is perhaps found in the words of Shakespeare: Methinks he doth protest too much. The brief was not persuasive. The minutes of the Court show Justices Shepard, Bistline, Huntley, and Johnson voting on the panel's request for acceptance of the certified questions. Justice Bakes deemed himself disqualified and did not vote, nor was a justice pro tem appointed to vote in his stead, as four of the votes cast were to accept the certification.