Opinion ID: 2091176
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Court of Special Appeals's Review (3 March 2006)

Text: The Court of Special Appeals affirmed the reinstatement of Reier, finding that its previous unreported opinion in this case and Geiger II effectively vacated ALJ Spencer's original findings of fact. Reier II, 167 Md.App. at 591, 893 A.2d at 1215. The intermediate appellate court perceived that it was incumbent upon ALJ Spencer to make new factual findings to answer specific questions that would undoubtedly go to the merits of what the Court of Appeals declared agencies and appellate courts should seek in reviewing matters under § 11-106. Id. The new factual determinations were not made in error because new legal principles [were] to be applied to these facts. Reier II, 167 Md. App. at 592, 893 A.2d at 1215. Because the resolution of the case under the Geiger I standard did not implicate as relevant facts pertaining to when the SDAT became aware of circumstances justifying an investigation of Reier, the resolution of the case under the Geiger II standard necessitated new findings of fact. Reier II, 167 Md. App. at 593-94, 893 A.2d at 1216. It was within the ALJ's discretion whether to accept further evidence from the SDAT on the questions posed by the Court of Special Appeals's remand opinion. Reier II, 167 Md.App. at 594-95, 893 A.2d at 1216-17. Finally, the appellate court panel reversed the Circuit Court on the issue of benefits, holding that the plain language of § 11-110(d)(1) precluded the award of benefits in addition to full back pay. The General Assembly drafted the statute to restore benefits in the event of the rescission or modification of a disciplinary action in subsubsubsection (ii), but not in conjunction with full back pay as provided in subsubsubsection (iii). The intermediate appellate court reasoned that if the Legislature intended for benefits to be available in addition to full back pay, the statute would have been framed more clearly to so provide. Reier II, 167 Md.App. at 597, 893 A.2d at 1218.