Court Opinion

ID: 9464556
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 23:37:25.928128+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:38:42.778807
License: Public Domain

ON PETITION FOR REHEARING BY THE PANEL OR BY THE COURT EN BANC
PER CURIAM.
Plaintiffs-appellees, being dissatisfied with our opinion and reversal of the judgment with directions to dismiss their action, have filed a petition for rehearing and suggestions for a rehearing of the appeal by the court en banc.
Appellees contend that the panel to which the appeal was submitted has misconstrued the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) by holding that a federal judge, performing an official but nonjudicial function, is an employee of the government within the meaning of the Act. The arguments and contentions espoused by appellees were fully ventilated in their original brief and were accorded careful consideration. Our court reached the conclusion that Judge Denney was an employee of the government for purposes of the FTCA and hence any claim of appellees had to be processed administratively in accordance with the provisions of 28 U.S.C. §§ 2401(b), 2675(a). The panel and all of the active judges of this court in regular service adhere to our holding on this issue.
Appellees present an alternative issue in their petition for rehearing which has provoked some concern. The contention is now advanced that our holding should be applied prospectively only. The argument is that appellees’ claim against Judge Denney under the FTCA should not be completely wiped out because of their failure to present the claim to the appropriate federal agency (viz. Administrative Office of the United States Courts) within two years after the event occurred which gave rise to appellees’ claim for relief. This is so, according to appellees, because they were unaware of the necessity to process their claim administratively within the prescribed time as a prerequisite to maintain*411ing a court action. Apparently this point was not explicitly in issue in the district court. The United States Attorney, after causing the action to be removed from the state court to the United States district court, filed a motion for summary judgment asserting that Judge Denney was an employee of the government, that the appellees had failed to process their claim against the judge administratively within two years, and that, consequently, appellees were barred from recovery. Appellees made no formal response to the motion for summary judgment, although they were at liberty to file a pleading asserting that any holding that Judge Denney was covered by the Act should operate prospectively only.
The United States Attorney has, pursuant to our direction, responded to the petition for rehearing and has considered and discussed the recent case of Kelley v. United States, 568 F.2d 259 (2d Cir. 1978). The United States Attorney strenuously maintains that our opinion and ultimate conclusion is correct, and has forcibly argued against the theory of prospective application.
The alternative theory now relied upon by appellees was not presented to this court prior to the petition for-rehearing and we decline to consider the question on the record presently before us. We have concluded, however, that in the interest of the administration of justice, the cause should be remanded to the district court with directions to hold a plenary evidentiary hearing concerning all events ■ surrounding the alleged automobile collision forming the premise for appellees’ claim for relief. The district court should endeavor to ascertain why the appellees failed to process their claim administratively within the prescribed period of time. The . court should focus in particular upon whether the appellees, through prior counsel whom they may have retained or with whom they may have consulted, were aware of the mandated administrative procedure, and whether they were lulled into believing that a processing of the claim with the appropriate federal agency was not a prerequisite to court action. After fully exploring these matters, the district court should file findings of fact and conclusions of law, or a memorandum opinion in lieu thereof, and cause the same to be certified to this court. This court will retain jurisdiction of the appeal pending further proceedings in accordance with the directions set forth above. Upon consideration of the district court’s action, this court will proceed to a final disposition of the appeal and will determine whether the appellees may proceed against Judge Denney under the Federal Tort Claims Act.