Opinion ID: 2542695
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Appearance of fairness doctrine

Text: Finally, based on a line of cases from Washington, Cowan argues that because this was a zoning decision, the decisionmakers and hearings on the matter needed to not only be fair and impartial, but also appear fair and impartial. He contends that comments made by a Commissioner and a consultant, as well as the Board's actions, which allegedly violated his due process, all indicate an indifference to the appearance of fairness. He urges this Court to adopt this doctrine and reverse the Board's decision because of its indifference to the appearance of fairness and impartiality. In the early 1970's the Supreme Court of Washington issued its decision in Chrobuck v. Snohomish County, 78 Wash.2d 858, 480 P.2d 489 (1971). There, Atlantic Richfield Company sought to re-zone land embracing beach frontage on Puget Sound. After the county changed the comprehensive plan and granted the company's petition, Chrobuck sought judicial review of the Commissioner's action. The Court determined that Chrobuck's due process rights had been violated, despite a lack of evidence of any dishonest or self-serving conduct by the Commissioners, by an unfortunate combination of circumstances . . . and the cumulative impact thereof [which] inescapably cast an aura of improper influence, partiality and prejudgment over the proceedings. Id. at 870, 480 P.2d at 496. Based on an earlier case, the Washington Supreme Court found that under that state's law a hearing must be fair in both appearance and substance. Id. This Court has never adopted the appearance of fairness doctrine of our westerly neighbor. Rather, we recognize that due process entitles a person to an impartial and disinterested tribunal[,] but we require a showing of actual bias before disqualifying a decision maker even when a litigant maintains a decision maker has deprived the proceedings of the appearance of fairness. Davisco Foods Int'l, Inc., 141 Idaho at 791, 118 P.3d at 123. Additionally, the Washington Supreme Court has stepped back from this doctrine. See W.T. Watterson, What Ever Happened to the Appearance of Fairness Doctrine? Local Land Use Decisions in an Age of Statutory Process, 21 Seattle U.L.Rev. 653 (1998). We therefore decline to adopt this doctrine and refrain from reaching the substance of Cowan's argument that certain statements and actions violated the appearance of fairness doctrine.