Court Opinion

ID: 9612487
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 04:09:13.912897+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:03:21.597133
License: Public Domain

DONALDSON, Justice,
specially concurs.
I concur with the majority opinion and agree that the trial judge needs to make more detailed findings explaining why the dismissal order constituted the first sanction. However, I find it necessary to write to clarify the standards surrounding the sanction power — in hopes that it will give some guidance to the trial judges when imposing sanctions.
The majority recognizes that the imposition of sanctions pursuant to I.R.C.P. 37(b) is a matter entrusted entirely to the sound discretion of the trial court. Devault v. Herndon, 107 Idaho 1, 684 P.2d 978 (1984). However, we did not rule in Devault that any time a trial judge orders sanctions in the form of a dismissal of claims, his actions will be affirmed on appeal as a proper exercise of discretion. An appellate court must first determine whether the lower court properly applied the correct legal standard governing the available discretionary alternatives.
Sanctions serve a dual purpose. They can be used to “punish misconduct and deter others involved in litigation to prevent abuse in connection with discovery ...” Devault, supra, 107 Idaho at 2, 684 P.2d at 979. It is also equally true that sanctions can be used to encourage and aid in discovery. United States v. Sumitomo Marine & Fire Ins. Co., 617 F.2d 1365 (9th Cir.1980). At first blush, these twin aims may seem to be in conflict, but in reality are congruent. The trial judge should use the sanction power wisely and ultimately try to achieve the efficient administration of justice. He should not consider one aim more important than the other aim, but generally he should try to attempt to satisfy the aim of encouragement before applying the more drastic punishment sanction. *532As noted by Wright & Miller regarding the use of sanction power in the federal courts,
“... [I]t seems especially fitting that courts should make the punishment fit the crime and should not impose a drastic sanction that will prevent adjudication of a case on its merits except on the clearest showing that this course is required____ The courts have ... exercised their discretion in a fashion intended to encourage discovery rather than simply to punish for failure to make discovery.” 8 Wright & Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure 2284, pp. 767-72 (footnotes omitted).
Thus, before reaching a decision to dismiss, the trial judge should first endeavor to determine whether lesser sanctions will achieve the desired result of valid litigation between informed parties. As contained in the Idaho rule, there are many alternatives that can be tried before dismissal becomes appropriate. For example, the trial judge may award costs against either the party, or his attorney. I.R.C.P. 37(b)(2)(E). The trial judge may issue an order which establishes disputed facts in favor of the moving party and against the disobedient party. I.R.C.P. 37(b)(2)(A). Of course, as noted in the rule, the court is not limited to the alternatives expressly provided for. I.R.C. P. 37(b)(2) states "... the court in which the action is pending may make such orders in regard to the failure as are just,----”
One party should not be thrown out of court without consideration of some of the lesser alternatives available to the trial judge. If the litigation can be expediently moved on, simply by an award of costs against the guilty party, then this would be the appropriate action. The trial judge must first consider these lesser alternatives before reaching for the more drastic remedies available. However, this is not to say that dismissal will never be appropriate as the first sanction order. The party requesting sanctions, the innocent party, should not be prejudiced by the delays caused by the party failing to prosecute its action. There are times when an award of costs may be meaningless because the party causing the delay lacks sufficient money. Other factors to consider is the length of time a trial might have to be postponed to allow the parties to properly meet the criteria imposed by the judge. Also, it is conceivable that the party seeking sanctions wants to prosecute its claim to enable to foreclose on property which is sitting idly and decreasing in value. In these types of situations, it is proper for the trial judge to consider the relative fault of the parties and the equities of who will be harmed by what sanction. Essentially, there is no set rule as to when to impose what sanction. The trial judge must balance the equities by comparing the culpability of the disobedient party with the resulting prejudice to the innocent party in light of the twin aims of the sanction power. Only after applying this balancing test, the court should impose a sanction which will most substantially lead to the efficient administration of justice.
The trial judge must have wide discretion in making a sanction order. However, when examining the first sanction order, if it is an order of dismissal, an appellate court will scrutinize it much more closely than it will a lesser sanction. This is not to say that dismissal will never be proper as a first sanction order. However to sustain such an order, the trial judge must make detailed findings as to why a lesser alternative is not proper.
The sanction power, when used correctly, is a tool which can expedite litigation and punish those who try to forestall justice. With the guidelines I have set forth, it is hoped that the trial courts will be able to wisely exercise the power and safeguard the court system from a waste of resources, and undue delay.