Opinion ID: 1699565
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: procedure before the board.

Text: Ruthenberg first contends that the Board did not act according to law because the Board chairman failed to rule on numerous evidentiary objections made by the lawyers at the hearing. He contends that this failure to rule was a violation of that part of Milwaukee Charter Ordinance section 36.05(4)(g) which provides: (g) . . . It shall rule on the relevancy and pertinence of the evidence submitted at the hearing. . . . The Board counters with the remainder of section 36.05 (4)(g): . . . The Board may also devise procedures which are designed to make the hearing more expeditious and less time-consuming and the Board's judgment as to the procedure to be employed shall be its exclusive determination. What in fact happened was that early in the hearing, following numerous objections, the Board chairman indicated that from that point on objections would only be recorded and the answers would be allowed and that both would be considered in making the decision. The chairman further emphasized that this was not an adversary proceeding and that the Board was only seeking the truth. [11] Considering the frequency of objections and the nature of the proceedings, this was an entirely reasonable way for the Board to have conducted the hearing and is well within its power under the ordinance. [12] Ruthenberg also challenges the Board's failure to make findings, contending that findings are required by Milwaukee Charter Ordinance section 36.05(4)(d): (d) The Board after the hearing on the petition shall make a finding based upon the facts adduced at such hearing and such finding shall be made in such manner and form as the Board determines to be appropriate; the Board shall give due respect to the requirements of Section 36.05(3). Predicated upon the finding of the Board, the Board shall make a determination in writing as to whether the duty disability retirement allowance is warranted under the provisions of this Act. A copy of the written finding and of the Board's determination shall be forwarded to the member who filed the petition. It is undisputed that the Board determined only that Ruthenberg's claim for duty disability be denied. The Board contends that this finding is sufficient, emphasizing that portion of section 36.05(4)(d), which says: . . . such finding shall be made in such manner and form as the Board determines to be appropriate; . . . The Board also suggests that the sufficiency of the finding here cannot be considered because it was not challenged in the petition for the writ. By challenging the sufficiency of the evidence to support the finding Ruthenberg brought the adequacy of the finding before the court. However, the circuit court did not rule on this particular point. [13] This court has had occasion to consider the type of findings necessary in cases involving agencies which are not subject to the requirements of Chapter 227. In Transport Oil, Inc. v. Cummings, 54 Wis.2d 256, 195 N.W.2d 649 (1972), this court held that even where Chapter 227 did not apply, an agency had the obligation to state reasons for its conclusions. In Transport Oil, Inc. this court quoted extensively from Securities Comm. v. Chenery Corp., 318 U.S. 80 (1943), in which the United States Supreme Court stated that the review process required that the grounds upon which the administrative agency acted be clearly disclosed and adequately sustained. Id. at 94 and 95. In Edmonds v. Board of Fire & Police Commrs., 66 Wis.2d 337, 349, 224 N.W.2d 575 (1975), this court withdrew the statement in State ex rel. Heffernan v. Board, 247 Wis. 77, 85, 18 N.W.2d 461 (1945), that a mere determination of guilt or innocence was sufficient and held that the sufficiency of the findings was an issue of law reviewable on certiorari. Edmonds, supra, at 348, relying on several United States Supreme Court cases therein cited, concluded that determinations by administrative agencies not encompassed within ch. 227 review procedure, require a statement of findings as a matter of procedural due process. This court there explained that findings are necessary for the following reasons: First, findings facilitate judicial review by allowing the court to focus its attention on the actual basis for the decision and the evidentiary support therefor. Second, requiring findings serves the goal of limited judicial review. The reviewing court is not required to supply its own factual conclusions through a de novo search of the record. This point is particularly important where the reviewing court concludes the agency applied the wrong rule of law to the case. Third, findings help prevent arbitrary decision making. Where administrators have to state the factual basis for a decision that may be subject to close scrutiny in subsequent judicial proceedings, they are bound to take more care in arriving at their determination. Fourth, Davis suggests findings help parties plan their cases for judicial review or rehearing. Morever, he asserts, parties have a right to be informed of why they lost. Finally, Davis argues that requiring agencies to state findings allows reviewing courts to keep the agencies within their jurisdiction. Edmonds, supra, at 348. The court remanded the case for findings of fact and conclusions of law. Recently in Harris, supra, at 660, 661, this court held that under the circumstances of that case, which was also brought under Milwaukee Charter Ordinance sec. 36.05, it could be inappropriate to remand for more specific findings. However, in Harris the Board made a finding of fact which was determinative of the petitioner's claim. The Board also made a conclusion of law that the petitioner was not entitled to benefits. Harris, supra, at 660, emphasized that even though the review provisions of sec. 227.13, Stats. 1973, were not directly applicable, sound administrative procedures required that an administrative agency make definite and certain findings of fact together with its conclusions of law. [14] Here the Board made no findings of fact and was unable to conclude that appellant was not entitled to benefits so determined only that his claim should be denied. This determination falls far short of the minimum due process requirements recognized in Transport Oil, supra, and Edmonds, supra . This action of the Board does not even meet the ordinance requirements that in making its finding the Board shall give due respect to the requirements of Section 36.05(3), and that the Board make its determination of eligibility [p]redicated upon the finding. The ordinance clearly contemplates a finding relating to the requirements for duty disability set out in section 36.05(3)(a): . . . Any member in active service who shall become permanently and totally incapacitated for duty as the natural and proximate result of an injury occurring at some definite time and place while in the actual performance of duty shall, upon filing a request for retirement with the board on a form provided by the board for that purpose, be entitled to a duty disability retirement allowance. . . . From the Board's determination here it is impossible to determine whether the Board concluded that Ruthenberg was not permanently and totally incapacitated for duty, or that he was so disabled but not because of a duty-related injury, or that the physical injury was duty-related but not the mental disability. The testimony before the Board was extensive. It is our conclusion that the Board must be required to make findings supporting its conclusion so that there can be a meaningful judicial review.