Court Opinion

ID: 9766361
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 04:43:12.79961+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:21.684447
License: Public Domain

George Rose Smith, J., dissenting. It is a basic rule, essential to orderly procedure, “that before an erroneous declaration or application of law by a trial court can avail a party on appeal, he must show that he was prejudiced thereby.” National Union Fire Ins. Co. v. School Dist. No. 60, 141 Ark. 547, 199 S.W. 924 (1917). That showing has not been made here. The appellant has not abstracted any of the testimony taken before the Compensation Commission. In fact, on this appeal she makes no contention that the Commission’s decision was wrong. If, upon remand, the circuit court affirms the Commission’s action on its merits, the appellant will presumably bring a second appeal to this court, requiring us to hear the case piecemeal. Of course the situation would be different if the circuit courts tried compensation cases de novo, so that a summary affirmance would infringe a claimant’s substantive right to a hearing. But, under our statute, the circuit court tries the case upon the record made before the Commission. We review it in exactly the same way. Hence, if needless appeals are to be avoided, a case such as this one could and should be presented to us on its merits upon the first appeal, with the constitutionality of Act 501 presenting merely a preliminary procedural issue. I would affirm the judgment. Fogleman, J., joins in this dissent.