Opinion ID: 1929306
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Our Jurisdiction To Review the Merits of the Director's Remand Order

Text: Because the Director remanded this matter to the Hearings & Adjudication Section of DOES for factual findings and conclusions of law, we are faced with what is in essence an interlocutory order, and a record devoid of factual findings which, depending on the correctness of the Director's adoption of the Harris holding (an issue we do not reach), may be essential to the outcome of this case. In Bender v. Department of Employment Services, 562 A.2d 1205 (D.C.1989), we reiterated the importance of the exhaustion principle: It is beyond cavil that exhaustion of administrative remedies is a prerequisite to judicial review of agency action absent extraordinary circumstances.... The exhaustion rule was founded upon the practical interests of maximizing judicial and administrative efficiency, and preserving administrative autonomy.... These interests are best served where courts are prevented from prematurely interrupting the administrative process; a process which, if left to run its natural courseto wit, development of a complete factual record, application, in the first instance, of agency expertise and discretion, and perhaps interagency correctionmay foreclose the necessity of judicial review. Id. at 1207-08. Here, we are faced with a matter that falls within the exhaustion principle. Potentially critical facts, such as whether the employee received notice of the employer's injury report from the employer or the agency, have yet to be made. The interests of judicial and administrative efficiency and administrative autonomy will not be served if this court attempts to resolve this matter in the absence of an adequate record on appeal. Consequently, because the Director remanded this matter to the Hearings & Adjudication section of DOES for further findings and conclusions, there is no final order before us and we lack jurisdiction to review the merits of WHC's petition. [2] Accordingly, we remand this case to the agency. So ordered.