Court Opinion

ID: 9771105
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 16:32:20.527426+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:38:02.185312
License: Public Domain

WINTERSHEIMER, Justice,
dissenting.
I must respectfully dissent from the method employed by the majority to achieve the results which it desires. Clearly the majority has broken new ground in regard to CR 76.32 in that it applies the manifest injustice or palpable error standard in interpreting the opening phrase of the rule “except in extraordinary cases when justice demands it_” It is difficult to quarrel with the development of a manifest injustice philosophy but in this case it seems to work an undue burden on a previously successful litigant without a sound reason.
Other than the manifest injustice interpretation, there is no legal basis to support the granting of the petition for rehearing. A petition for rehearing will be granted only in extraordinary cases and it is only justified when a material fact in the record, or a controlling statute or decision has been overlooked, or issues or applicable law have been misconceived. A careful review of the record in this case and the earlier decision of this Court indicates that the Deemers have presented nothing in addition to what has been previously considered. The petition for rehearing is a request for this Court to change its mind from its original decision. This results in undermining the long-standing rule that a petition for rehearing will be denied when nothing is presented that was not considered at the original hearing. Cf. Hawkins v. Sunmark Industries, Inc., Ky., 727 S.W.2d 397 (1986) (dissenting opinion of Justice Leibson). Under the law as it existed until this date, the petition for rehearing should be denied.
On the merits of the case, this Court was correct when it held that CR 60.02 was the only appropriate procedure that could be used by the Deemers in this case. They question the effect and appropriateness of the use of CR 60.02, but they do not specifically set out how the original majority of this Court overlooked or misconceived any material fact, controlling statute or decision in the original opinion. CR 60.02 states in pertinent part that “On motion, a court may upon terms as are just, relieve a party or his or her legal representative from its final judgment, order or proceeding upon the following grounds: ... (f) Any other reason of an extraordinary nature justifying relief.” The original majority opinion held that the purpose of an appellate court is to rule on matters arising in the trial upon which there has already been a ruling by the trial court and timely objections made to such ruling. The Deemers argue that prejudicial error occurred based on juror misconduct and judicial error. They contend that this error was not discoverable until after the appeal was filed and the appropriate remedy was to permit an amendment of the prehearing statement and resolution at the appellate level. Obviously, the trial court had not been involved in the resolution of the alleged error. CR 76.14 gives no relief to the Deemers because that rule is not designed to bring before the reviewing court matters which are not ruled upon in the original trial court. When the Deemers attempted to amend their prehearing statement, the record did not indicate in any way that prejudicial or serious error had occurred in regard to the alleged misconduct of the juror. CR 60.02 provided the only means in which the trial judge could evaluate the alleged error and develop the record by means of a hearing of testimony.
When they discovered the alleged juror misconduct, the Deemers made a strategic decision to continue to amend the prehear-*439ing statement and to include the issue then pending appeal. This was an unauthorized amendment of the prehearing statement in an attempt to address an issue not considered at the trial level and to which no timely objection had been made. The Court of Appeals correctly determined that the attempted amendment pursuant to CR 76.14 was not the proper procedural approach and this Court originally affirmed that holding. The issue about which the Deemers complain has not been considered by the trial judge and the proper procedure would be pursuant to a motion under CR 60.02 and not CR 76.14.
The development of a record on the question by means of the 60.02 motion would have been much more beneficial than attempting to amend the prehearing statement.
There is no merit to the argument that strict compliance with the rules and in particular CR 60.02 serves no legitimate purpose. The rule provides extraordinary relief for extraordinary circumstances. At this point there is no evidence in the record which indicates that the juror in question violated her oath to impartially try the case and return a true verdict according to the law and evidence as required by K.R.S. 29A.300.
Clearly all parties to any litigation are entitled to an absolutely fair and impartial trial.
It is ironic that the Deemers should raise the question of further consideration by Justice Gant who was not present at the oral arguments on August 30, 1990. The very error that the Deemers complain of was discovered by them as a result of reviewing video tapes. The oral arguments before the court were video-taped and made available to the absent justice. The benefits of video taping should be applied to all circumstances but must be carefully monitored in regard to the trial situation so that a reviewing court does not substitute its opinion for that of the trier of fact.
Use of CR 60.02 does not prejudice the Deemers but use of CR 76.14 could work a hardship on Finger. Relief can be given to the Deemers under the existing rule.
Rehearing should be denied.
STEPHENS, C.J., joins in this dissent.