Court Opinion

ID: 9854100
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 06:00:52.951378+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:22:55.648548
License: Public Domain

Winsor, J.
(dissenting)—I respectfully dissent. My primary disagreement is with the majority's interpretation of the meaning of "present", as that word is used in WAC 137-28-090(7), which provides:
Where institution staff members are witnesses against the inmate, every effort shall be made to have such witnesses present to testify at the hearing: Provided, however, The written statements of such staff members may be considered in their absence upon a showing of good cause.
*240The majority concludes that for purposes of this regulation, a witness who testifies by telephone is "present". I disagree.
Undefined unambiguous words within a statute or regulation should be given their ordinary meaning, which may be determined by reference to a dictionary. Brenner v. Leake, 46 Wn. App. 852, 854-55, 732 P.2d 1031 (1987); see also Addleman v. Board of Prison Terms & Paroles, 107 Wn.2d 503, 509, 730 P.2d 1327 (1986). "Present" is commonly understood as "being in view or at hand". Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary 910 (1977). In dictum, we have previously interpreted WAC 137-28-090(7) in accord with this common understanding:
Where institution staff members are witnesses against the inmate, every effort shall be made to have them present their testimony in person, but a written statement can be presented in their absence upon a showing of good cause.
(Italics mine.) In re Hunter, 43 Wn. App. 174, 176, 715 P.2d 1146 (1986). I would therefore hold that for purposes of WAC 137-28-090(7), "present" means "in person".
Here, the staff member witnesses did not testify "in person". Despite the regulation's good cause proviso, no attempt was made to justify the staff member's absence. Consequently, I would hold that the telephonic hearing violated WAC 137-28-090(7).
Given the conclusion that the hearing violated the applicable regulation, the question of whether the violation warrants relief in the form of a remand must be addressed. I agree with the majority that under Wolff v. McDonnell, 418 U.S. 539, 567-68, 41 L. Ed. 2d 935, 94 S. Ct. 2963 (1974) and In re Reismiller, 101 Wn.2d 291, 294, 678 P.2d 323 (1984), the telephonic hearing did not infringe on Plunkett's due process rights. Accordingly, relief cannot be granted on constitutional grounds. I disagree, however, with the majority's reliance on Reismiller as authority for denying relief unless "the action taken was 'so arbitrary and capricious as to deny the petitioner a fundamentally fair proceeding'.'1' Majority, at 237 (quoting Reismiller, 101 *241Wn.2d at 294). Reismiller is inapposite because it does not concern a prison official's violation of a regulation.
The pertinent case concerning whether relief should be granted to prisoners subjected to a proceeding that violates the Washington Administrative Code is In re Ayers, 105 Wn.2d 161, 713 P.2d 88 (1986). In that case five prisoners challenged the length of their prison confinement through a consolidated personal restraint petition. One of their allegations was that actions by the Board of Prison Terms and Paroles (the Board) interfered with their constitutional liberty interest in the "potential of parole". The Supreme Court declined to recognize a constitutional basis for the claimed interest, but concluded that "the Board, by its own regulations, has created such an expectation that should be recognized and followed." Ayers, 105 Wn.2d at 167. The court then noted that the Board had not complied with a regulation that required it to make "a concise written statement of findings and conclusions in each case heard under the provisions of this Chapter." Ayers, 105 Wn.2d at 167-68 (quoting WAC Title 381, rule 5.170). Explaining that the rule affected "the very liberty of the person," the court remanded the matter to the Board "with directions to comply with their own rules." 105 Wn.2d at 168. Implicit in the Ayers court's ruling is its recognition that the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court are the only bodies that can ensure the Board complies with its own regulations governing its dealings with prisoners.
Because the Board here failed to follow its own regulation, Plunkett's disciplinary proceeding should be remanded once again. If, on remand, the staff member witnesses make the requisite showing of good cause, they may give telephonic testimony. See generally Balla v. Murphy, 116 Idaho 257, 775 P.2d 149, 151-53 (Ct. App. 1989) (discussing type of telephonic hearing that would not violate prisoners' due process rights). Without the requisite showing, however, the applicable regulation mandates live, in person testimony.
*242I also disagree with the majority's resolution of the polygraph evidence issue. From the record it appears that the victim's testimony that he had taken and passed a polygraph examination surprised Plunkett. It also appears that the polygraph results played a significant role in the disciplinary hearing's outcome. Nevertheless, the majority denied relief on this issue solely on the ground that the petitioner, who was not permitted to have an attorney present, failed to claim error at the time of the hearing. Majority, at 239. That would be an appropriate ruling if Plunkett had legal representation, but is an unfair standard to apply to a prisoner who does not have a right to representation by retained or appointed counsel in disciplinary proceedings. Wolff, 418 U.S. at 569-70. We should therefore permit Plunkett to raise the issue now, and we should deal with it on the merits. In that regard, two cases are instructive: State v. Grisby, 97 Wn.2d 493, 502, 647 P.2d 6 (1982), cert. denied, 459 U.S. 1211 (1983), which held that polygraph evidence is not admissible absent a stipulation by the parties; and Williams v. Oregon State Penitentiary, 29 Or. App. 455, 564 P.2d 706 (1977), which held that in order for there to be a reasonable opportunity for a fair hearing, polygraph evidence is not admissible in a prison disciplinary proceeding without a foundation consisting of the qualifications of the examiner.
For the reasons outlined above, I would reverse and remand.