Court Opinion

ID: 9610776
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 03:47:05.193942+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:03:04.545101
License: Public Domain

GEORGE W. DRAPER III, Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion.
This Court reviews the decision of the agency rather than the judgment of the trial court. Rule 84.05(e); State ex rel. Columbus Park Community Council v. Bd. of Zoning Adj. of Kansas City, 864 S.W.2d 437, 440 (Mo.App. W.D.1993). Our review is limited to a determination of whether the agency’s action is supported *34by competent and substantial evidence upon the whole record, or whether the decision is arbitrary, capricious, unreasonable, unlawful, or ultra vires. KV Pharmaceutical Co. v. Missouri State Bd. of Pharmacy, 43 S.W.3d 306, 310 (Mo. banc 2001). Similarly, if the agency fails to consider important aspects or factors of an issue, its decision may be found to be arbitrary and capricious. Hundley v. Wenzel, 59 S.W.3d 1, 8 (Mo.App. W.D.2001). This Court may not substitute its own judgment on factual matters; it independently determines questions of law. State Bd. of Nursing v. Berry, 32 S.W.3d 638, 641 (Mo.App. W.D.2000) (citing Psychare Mgmt., Inc. v. Dep’t of Soc. Servs., Div. of Med. Servs., 980 S.W.2d 311, 312 (Mo. banc 1998)).
Appellant raises three points on appeal. I find merit in her final point, which argues Manager and the City erred in deciding to “close the house” because Manager’s decision was arbitrary and capricious. I would reverse the decision of Manager, finding the application of the City’s ordinance violated Appellant’s due process rights.
Missouri’s Constitution provides: “That the courts of justice shall be open to every person, and certain remedy afforded for every injury to person, property or character, and that right.and justice shall be administered without sale, denial or delay.” Mo. Const, art. I, sec. 14 (emphasis added). Due process analysis is available in administrative hearings. Mikel v. Pott Industries/Saint Louis Ship, 910 S.W.2d 323, 327 (Mo.App. E.D.1995); Graves v. City of Joplin, 48 S.W.3d 121, 124 (Mo.App. S.D.2001); Clark v. Board of Directors of School Dist. of Kansas City, 915 S.W.2d 766, 772 (Mo.App. W.D.1996).
The United States Supreme Court has adopted a balancing test to weigh competing interests when analyzing a due process claim. Mathews v. Eldridge, 424 U.S. 319, 335, 96 S.Ct. 893, 903, 47 L.Ed.2d 18, 33 (1976). See also, Belton v. Bd. of Police Comm’rs, 708 S.W.2d 131, 137 (Mo. banc 1986); Larocca v. State Bd. of Registration for Healing Arts, 897 S.W.2d 37, 43 (Mo.App. E.D.1995); State ex rel. Donelon v. Div. of Employment Sec., 971 S.W.2d 869, 875 (Mo.App. W.D.1998). The Mathews test balances three interests: (1) the private interest affected by the action; (2) the risk of an erroneous deprivation of that interest under the procedures being used; and (3) the government’s interest in resolving the matter without being unduly burdened by additional or substitute procedural requirements. Mathews, 424 U.S. at 335, 96 S.Ct. at 903, 47 L.Ed.2d at 33.
Pursuant to the City’s ordinances,' if Manager determines a “room, building, structure or inhabitable structure” is being used “for the illegal use, keeping or selling of controlled substances,” a public nuisance exists and no person is allowed to “keep or maintain such a public nuisance.” City of Univeksity City, Mo., Section 8.24.260(b) (2002). That same ordinance allows the City to order the premises not to be occupied or used for a maximum period of one year, if Manager determines a public nuisance exists where the owner “knew that the premises were being used for the illegal use, keeping, or selling of controlled substances.... ” City of University City, Mo., Section 8.24.260(d) (2002).
The critical issues in the instant case are the timing and need for the punitive sanctions imposed on Appellant. While the City has discretion to enforce its ordinances, its review is fettered and applying the strict reading of the subsection of this ordinance in the instance case would result in an unnecessary hardship. Taylor v. Bd. of Zoning Adj. of City of Blue Springs, 738 S.W.2d 141, 144 (Mo.App. W.D.1987). This Court gives effect to intent of the *35ordinance based upon a review of the whole ordinance. State ex rel. Sunshine Enterprises of Missouri, Inc. v. Bd. of Adj. of City of St. Ann, 64 S.W.3d 310, 812 (Mo. banc 2002).
The City instigated this hearing against Appellant1 over ten months after the raid at the residence. The time delay was not related to any action taken by Appellant. The City’s ruling would displace Appellant from her home for three months. We presume this sanction is supposed to be tailored to the City’s police powers by preventing the continuing nuisance of a drug house. However, the City’s ordinance does not place a time limitation on when the City needs to bring hearings upon ordinance violations.
Similarly, there are cases in which physicians have had their licenses to practice medicine revoked, thereby depriving them of their right to practice their livelihood. In Lane v. State Committee of Psychologists, 954 S.W.2d 23 (Mo.App. E.D.1997), this Court rejected a doctor’s claim that “a five year delay between the filing of a complaint against him and the State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts notifying him of the charge violated” his due process rights. Id. at 25. Yet, in the context of the instance case, Lane is not applicable. The regulation of the medical profession is for the benefit of the public’s welfare. A doctor who continues to practice medicine, but fails to comply with medical regulations, not only violated the public trust with regard to the patient filing the complaint, but continues to be a risk to every patient he or she may see. This is a legitimate exercise of police power to protect the public from ongoing harm. As long as a doctor practices medicine, there is an interest in protecting the public from malpractice.
In the instant case, the City has an interest in protecting the public by not allowing drug homes to be maintained within the City’s borders. While the City has the right to promote the health and welfare of its citizens, there has been no showing here this action will actually abate an ongoing nuisance. Cf. Bezayiff v. City of St. Louis, 963 S.W.2d 225, 227 (Mo.App. E.D.1997) (enforcement of ordinance ridding properties of inoperable vehicles held to be a valid exercise of police powers while the vehicle is actually located on property at time of hearing ordering removal). While there is no explicit statement in the City’s ordinance which requires a finding of a continuing nuisance, looking at the entire language of the ordinance it is clear that before a city manager can issue a punishment, there must be a finding of a public nuisance and that no person may “keep or maintain” a public nuisance. City of UniveRsity City, Mo., Section 8.24.260 (2002).2 Additionally, the City would not be empowered to close a home that was not a nuisance or a continuing danger to its residences as it would no longer have the police power to do so.
I agree with the majority that this ordinance has a reasonable relationship to the health, safety, and general welfare of the City’s residents. Clearly, the City desires *36to reduce and regulate the number of locations in which controlled substances are stored and consumed. However, the City’s only stated purpose in closing Appellant’s house was to potentially stop people from returning to the residence to purchase drugs. Reading the ordinance subsections in pari materi, the owner has to keep and maintain a public nuisance and know drugs were being used, kept, or sold on the premises. Hence, the City should not close a location that is not a public nuisance. Further, if Appellant’s home actually posed a threat to the public welfare, it is logical to assume the City would have moved to close the residence as soon as possible after the execution of the warrant.
There was no evidence that the harm the City ostensibly was protecting the public from was extant at the time of the hearing.3 If the City failed to have a purpose in closing down the house to protect the public from a continuing public nuisance, its decision only serves to evict a disabled woman from her home for three months. Hence, Appellant was deprived due process of law.
For the foregoing reasons, I would reverse and remand the judgment of the trial court.

. The City states it also provided notice to Lewis regarding this hearing, but he did not contest the City’s actions. This Court presumes Lewis has no interest in the outcome of this hearing because he will be imprisoned for a length of time greater than one year.

. This Writer recognizes that the purpose of this ordinance is to end the nuisance activity on the property; it is not designed to criminally punish individuals’ conduct. This rationale is enunciated clearly in City of Saint Louis, Mo., Section 15.42.040(C) (1996) stating there may be action taken if it is "deemed appropriate and necessary to abate the nuisance activity....”

. This Writer realizes investigation and hearing in these matters cannot occur simultaneously to discovery of activity invoking this ordinance. Yet, while not establishing a time standard, this Writer is of the considered opinion that under the circumstances of this case such a hearing could have been brought in less than eleven months or a more reasonable amount of time to avoid an undue hardship. By failing to include a time limitation for prosecution, the ordinance and other administrative regulations are susceptible to due process claims. See Mowery v. Ohio State Bd. of Pharmacy, No. 96-G-2005, 1997 WL 663505, at *4 n1, 1997 Ohio App. LEXIS 4414, at * 13 n1 (Ohio App. Sept. 30, 1997).