Court Opinion

ID: 9722925
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 09:55:43.010964+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:42.198265
License: Public Domain

Gehl, J.
{dissenting). By an erroneous construction of the mandate contained in Merton Lumber Co. v. Industrial Comm. (1951), 260 Wis. 109, 50 N. W. (2d) 42, we have conceded to the Industrial Commision power and authority which even we do not possess. If the mandate must be construed as authorizing the commission to do whatever it might chose to do, we had no authority to so direct. The rule of res adjudicata, that when a question of law or fact has once been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction and there is identity of persons and parties it cannot be again contested between the same' parties, whether in the same or any other court, is not only one of substantive law. It is a limitation upon the power of the court. Once a cause is disposed of and determined the jurisdiction of the court in that action is terminated. Two Rivers Mfg. Co. v. Beyer (1889), 74 Wis. 210, 42 N. W. 232.
In Merton Lumber Co. v. Industrial Comm., supra, M. & M. Realty Company was a party and had been a party to the procéedings from their inception. The commission’s examiner found that the incident of March 10, 1949, when claimant was in the employ of M. & M. Realty Company did not constitute an injury caused by accident. The commission confirmed the examiner, the trial court upon proceedings to review confirmed, we confirmed and said that “the conclusion that though the 1949 injury occurred on the job it was not caused by the job has evidence in its support and must be sustained.” What we said was not obiter dictum. The *66question was presented and argued in this court, disposed of by judicial determination, and the matter closed.
Now it is held that by the terms of the mandate which reversed the judgment and remanded the record for further proceedings the commission was given authority to grant claimant a new trial. Reversed which judgment? Only that which confirmed the award against the Merton Lumber Company; that was the only action of the commission which we held to be erroneous. This court when it remanded the record for further proceedings must have intended that such proceedings must be had as are compatible with the opinion and in accordance with the law — to set aside the findings and order of the commission requiring the Merton Lumber Company to pay compensation to the claimant, certainly a further proceeding. Under the circumstances there was only one thing for the trial court to do. and that was to direct the commission to vacate the award against Merton Lumber Company. Silver State Building & Loan Asso. v. Independence Indemnity Co. (1935), 96 Colo. 559, 45 Pac. (2d) 642; Wenborne-Karpen Dryer Co. v. Cutler Dry Kiln Co. (D. C. 1927), 21 Fed. (2d) 692.
I agree with the majority that sec. 102.23 (1), Stats., may be interpreted to mean that the court has power in its discretion to set aside in its entirety an order of the commission. But that is not the question in this case. As I view it we did not set aside the entire order.
Sec. 102.24 (1), Stats., to which the majority refer, provides :
“(1) Upon the setting aside of any order or award the • court may recommit the controversy and remand the record in the case to the commission, for further hearing or proceedings ; or it may enter the proper judgment upon the findings, as the nature of the case shall demand. An abstract of the judgment entered by the trial court upon the review of any order or award shall be made by the clerk thereof upon *67the docket entry of any judgment which may theretofore have been rendered upon such order or award and transcripts of such abstract may thereupon be obtained for like entry upon the dockets of the courts of other counties.”
It is not applicable. We did not set aside the order or award as it affects M. & M. Realty Company. We confirmed it. I am unable to read out of its provisions even when considered with the provision of sec. 102.23 (1), Stats., any authority to retry an issue once finally determined by a court of last resort.
The majority say that it was not our mandate in the Merton Lumber Co. Case but that of the trial court made upon remittitur which controlled the action of the commission. The mandate of the trial court was that the commission vacate its order directing payment by Merton Lumber Company and “for further proceedings.” Thus the court used our language. May we construe its language differently than we do our own? Or may we, as the majority say we should, assume that because it made no reference to our opinion, it was intended by it to authorize the commission to act in excess of its authority? The majority point to the fact that the circuit court is not required to forward to the commissioner the opinion of this court and that, consequently, the commission is not to be concerned with it; that it is to be concerned only with the mandate of the trial court. They say also that “the commission is required to act pursuant to the mandate of the circuit court to it, and not the mandate from this court to the circuit court.” Do they mean by that that if the mandate of the circuit court is inconsistent with ours the former’s direction should control?
We are not here concerned with the remedy available to an aggrieved party where the circuit court refuses to follow our mandate. I do not construe the trial court’s memorandum as being inconsistent with ours. It remitted for further *68proceedings just as we did; for proceedings to be had in accordance with the law, even though the commission might choose to ignore what we said in our opinion.
I would reverse the judgment. I am authorized to state that Mr. Justice Brown and Mr. Justice Steinle join in this dissent.