Court Opinion

ID: 9539102
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 07:46:53.679889+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:58:27.407860
License: Public Domain

KAUGER, Justice,
with whom, SUMMERS, Justice, join, dissenting only to the completely prospective application of the opinion.
Neither the United States Constitution nor the Constitution of the State of Okla*450homa delineate the effective date of judicial opinions. Subject to limited exceptions, decisions were given retrospective effect at common law.1 However, the doctrine enunciated by the United States Supreme Court in Great Northern R. Co. v. Sunburst Oil & Ref. Co., 287 U.S. 358, 364, 53 S.Ct. 145, 148, 77 L.Ed. 360, 85 A.L.R. 254 (1932) broadly endorses variations in juristic philosophy involving retrospective and prospective decisions.
My concern is that there be some consistency and predictability in our rulings. Within the last two years, numerous cases including Cate v. Archon Oil Co., Inc., 695 P.2d 1352, 1356 (Okl.1985); Vanderpool v. State, 672 P.2d 1153, 1157 (Okl.1983); Snethen v. Oklahoma State Union of the Farmers Educational and Cooperative Union of America, 664 P.2d 377, 382 (Okl. 1983), have been promulgated. In each, the decision was given effect in the immediate case, and prospectively to all other cases, after either the issuance of the mandate, or on a date certain.
The alleged distinctions between collateral and direct attacks do not necessitate a different treatment than that accorded to recent successful appellants2 because the judgment was void ab initio.3 If a decision has been adequately foreshadowed, as has the holding in this case,4 the benefits of the new rule should not be withheld from the prevailing party — nor should similarly situated litigants who properly have preserved the issue on appeal be bypassed, and left unaffected and unprotected in the appellate pipeline.5

. Robinson v. Neil, 409 U.S. 505, 507, 93 S.Ct. 876, 877, 35 L.Ed.2d 29 (1973).

. Within the last three years, no party has been denied the fruits of the appellate victory.

. See Pointer v. Hill, 536 P.2d 358, 361 (Okl. 1975); and Emery v. Goff, 198 Okl. 534, 180 P.2d 175, 178, 171 A.L.R. 457 (1947).

. Bomford v. Socony Oil Co., 440 P.2d 713 (Okl. 1968) was decided 17 years ago.

. Shea v. Louisiana, 470 U.S. 51, 105 S.Ct. 1065, 1069, 84 L.Ed.2d 38 (1985); United States v. Johnson, 457 U.S. 537, 102 S.Ct. 2579, 73 L.Ed.2d 202 (1982); Mackey v. United States, 401 U.S. 667, 675, 91 S.Ct. 1160, 1164, 28 L.Ed.2d 404 (1971).