Court Opinion

ID: 9712585
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 04:56:41.477581+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:12.953388
License: Public Domain

Black, J.
(dissenting). Our order granting leave to review plaintiff’s dismissal was necessarily based on the limited showing Court Rule No 60 (1945)  affords. Now that this exhaustive record of sharply contested hearings and rehearings, before the tribunals set up under the civil service amendment of 1940 (Const [1908], art 6, § 22), has been brought in for contemplative test against plaintiff’s allegations of reversible error, I can only conclude that the appointing authority has made such showing of fact and inference from fact as legally warrants the civil service commission’s order dismissing this State employee.
The attorney general has accurately summarized the case brought here:
“The civil service commission, as a constitutionally created body, is given the authority to regulate all conditions of employment in the State civil service. One of its duties is to review appeals presented to it by employees discharged by their appointing authorities. While it is essential that the discharged employee understand the reasons for the action of the employer, it is not essential that where such understanding exists independently that additional written specifics be supplied such employee. Irrespective of this, however, the appellant in the instant case has been supplied by 3 hearings preceding the final hearing de novo with more than adequate notice of all specifications and was in fact able to defend against each and every charge of her employer.
“Of necessity, much of the proof adduced in these matters is circumstantial because of the nature of *28the action involved. Just as the appellant was'alleged to have stated, it takes 2 people to really prove a mishandling of State property for the reason that misappropriation of an employer’s property is committed with ingenious care and secrecy. However, inferences can reasonably be drawn from the testimony of many individual employees who have no personal reason to testify against the appellant. Furthermore, the very reason that they, are testifying against the appellant raises an inference of credibility in and of itself due to the obvious distaste of such a task. It has been the rule of law in administrative proceedings that a consideration of circumstantial evidence is proper, especially when it is coupled with some competent evidence. There was sufficient competent evidence adduced .to sustain the dismissal from State service of the appellant.”
I adopt the quoted, summary and hold that, there being some if not abundant proof tending to justify the commission’s decision, the judicial process has no further function. See separate opinion, Lyons v. Employment Security Commission, 363 Mich 201, 228.
I vote to affirm.
Carr, J., did not sit.