Opinion ID: 2519022
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Record Was Properly Preserved for Appeal

Text: ¶ 6 First, we must address Miller Dollarhide's contention that the disqualification was not properly preserved for review on direct appeal. Tal engaged in two separate attempts under Rule 15 to disqualify the trial judge because of perceived bias. The first attempt began with Tal's February, 2003 in camera letter requesting recusal. When his request was denied, Tal filed a timely formal motion in the trial court. The record is silent on why that motion was not considered by, or ruled upon by the trial court, but under our decision in Clark v. Board of Education of Indep. Sch. Dist. No. 89, 2001 OK 56, ¶¶ 5-11, 32 P.3d 851, the failure of the trial court to rule on the Rule 15 motion in the first instance was error. This error, which should not be attributed to Tal under these facts, was nevertheless mooted by the fact that the Chief Judge did in fact hear the motion and denied it on the merits. ¶ 7 At this point, Tal was entitled, pursuant to Rule 15(b), to bring a mandamus action in this Court within five days of the Chief Judge's order denying relief. However, Tal chose not to seek mandamus relief from the order as it applied to this case. Rather, Tal stood on the record, and under our holding in Pierce v. Pierce, 2001 OK 97, ¶ 10, 39 P.3d 791, the issue was perfected for appellate review on appeal from any adverse final judgment to Tal. It is clear that the Chief Judge correctly limited his consideration of the second motion for disqualification to only those actions allegedly occurring after the denial of Tal's previous Rule 15 motion. [7] It was from this limited ruling, that no new evidence of bias was present, that Tal sought the mandamus relief we denied. Therefore, we hold that Tal's claims of bias were preserved for appellate review.