Court Opinion

ID: 9579902
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 21:59:40.558761+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:35:52.947083
License: Public Domain

*77SANDSTROM, Justice,
dissenting.
The focus of this case is the second administrative hearing held by the Attorney General. In Lamplighter v. State ex rel. Heitkamp, 510 N.W.2d 585 (N.D.1991), (“Lamplighter I”), this Court said the Attorney General lacked jurisdiction because of the doctrine of res judicata. Significantly, neither party argued res judicata in Lamplighter I! This Court, on its own, in its opinion, resolved Lamplighter I on the issue of res judicata.
To award attorney’s fees the trial court must find the agency acted without substantial justification. N.D.C.C. § 28-32-21.1. The majority fails to offer any analysis of the justification provided by the Attorney General — it simply asserts the trial court was not “arbitrary, capricious nor unreasonable.” The majority begs the question. If the Attorney General was substantially justified, the trial court abused its discretion in awarding attorney’s fees.
Prior to the second administrative hearing, Lamplighter failed to raise the issue of res judicata. Generally, res judicata must be raised in responsive pleadings or motion. See Rule 12(b), N.D.R.Civ.P. When Lamplighter failed to raise the issue before the hearing, the Attorney General was substantially justified in holding the hearing.
North Dakota law provides substantial justification for the Attorney General’s position that res judicata was waived when not raised before the second hearing. In Borden v. Graves, 20 N.D. 225, 127 N.W. 104 (1910), this Court held (syllabus by the Court 4):
“In order that the estoppel of a judgment may become operative and effective, a party claiming its benefits must plead the adjudication in bar of a subsequent action, and on the trial establish it by competent proof; and a failure to do either will be held to be a waiver of the rights depending on such estoppel.”
See also 46 Am.Jur.2d Judgments § 581 (1969).
Because the Attorney General was substantially justified, I would reverse.