Court Opinion

ID: 9624806
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 07:18:15.929588+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:08:29.869594
License: Public Domain

HUNTLEY, Justice,
dissenting.
While searching for inspiration and authority for this dissent, I journeyed last night deep into the bowels of our marble palace where I overheard and recorded the enactment of a three person drama:
THE RAPE OF THE SABINE WOMEN
(A Modern Idaho Sequele)
PROLOGUE
Oracle: What brings you before me, Justi-cus and Wificus?
Wificus: I seek understanding as to why I have lost my retirement benefits when for many years I have endured as a military wife, suffering through long absences from my husband, inadequate income, and difficult living conditions.
Oracle: Five concepts tell it: Res judicata, vacated, equity, Stare decisis and non-prospective application.
Justicus: But she understands not.
Oracle: Play out your cases and I will give you understanding.
ACT ONE
Res Judicata
Justicus: Your case has been decided and you cannot reopen it. Do you not honor and understand Res Judicata?
Wificus: What does it mean and who pronounced it?
Justicus: It means “things decided” and a court pronounced it, an Idaho magistrate, in your case.
Wificus: What qualities must that court have?
Justicus: It must have jurisdiction.
Wificus: Did not the U.S. Supreme Court in McCarty hold that Idaho courts are preempted from deciding “this thing” and are therefore lacking jurisdiction. How can a court with no jurisdiction decide something?
Oracle: Res judicata — be careful woman, you search too deeply.
Wificus: Why does the Oracle use Latin on me?
Justicus: This reasoning might appear foolish in English.
ACT TWO
Vacated
Wificus: Oh great Justicus, Rule 60(b)(5) would seem to give me relief “if a prior judgment upon which it is based has been reversed or otherwise vacated.” You then stated that McCarty was mere precedent and not something that directly caused my distress.
Justicus: Yes, it was mere precedent.
Wificus: Was not the magistrate both preempted and bound?
Oracle: Guard your tongue, woman.
Wificus: But sir, did not Congress, through the USFSPA at least vacate McCarty ?
Justicus: Not as I see it.
Wificus: I’m sorry, my Lord. I had thought that since it is no longer viable and in effect it is at least vacated, but I guess I’m wrong.
*1004ACT THREE
Equity
Wificus: Rule 60(b)(5) further states:
. or it is no longer equitable that the judgment should have prospective application....”
What does equity mean?
Oracle: Fair, just and reasonable.
Wificus: Where, in this record is it demonstrated that that which I have earned should be taken from me?
Justicus: We tell you what equity is. •
Wificus: But does not the legislation by both Congress and the Idaho Legislature and the decisions of other courts count with you in ascertaining equity?
Justicus: They count, but not enough to overcome three of us.
ACT FOUR
Non-Prospective Application
Wificus: What does prospective mean?
Justicus: Something that didn’t happen already.
Wificus: Why was my decree not prospective in application?
Justicus: Because the judgment was signed and filed at a given moment in time.
Wificus: Is that not true of all judgments —remember, that date was four years before my husband retired and four years before the first retirement payment was to be made. Also, if he had died during those four years, no payment ever would have been made. On the day of our divorce, the total amount of his monthly payments was not even established. Do not all of those factors give a tiny essence of prospectivity?
Justicus: I see nothing prospective there.
Wificus: I would reason that in its application the decree was either past, present, or future. Since the decree did not act on the past, and was not dividing monies we had on its date, does that not leave only the third alternative of the future?
Justicus: Woman, you will note we did not explain nor will we explain what we mean by prospective and non-prospective. I refer you to the next Act. Stare decisis is my best shot.
ACT FIVE
Stare Decisis
Wificus: You say this prospective thing is stare decisis under McBride, but I see no definition or rationale therein. What does stare decisis mean and why do you use it?
Justicus: Stare decisis means the thing is decided and people like you will respect the courts more if once we decide something, we stick with it.
Wificus: You mean I should respect you more if you stay consistent although wrong?
Justicus: Of course, my dear.
Wificus: My respect grows by the minute!
EPILOGUE
Oracle: You now have a better understanding of three Roman and two English concepts or phrases. You can trust the manly courts to give you your just deserts, my dear.
Wificus: Yes, my Lord, I feel better already. Where is the nearest soup kitchen? I’LL GET MY DESSERT LATER!