Court Opinion

ID: 9551513
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 18:54:37.745548+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:24:03.249873
License: Public Domain

JACOBSON, Presiding Judge
(specially concurring):
By this concurring opinion, I do not intend to indicate that I disagree in any manner with the legal conclusions reached by the majority opinion or with the opinion expressed by Chief Judge Haire as that opinion relates to the issue of the limited statutory scope of review by the appellate courts of this state of workmen’s compensation awards. Rather this concurring opinion is made for the express purpose of highlighting and emphasizing my agreement with Chief Judge Haire’s opinion on this review issue.
The legislature has deemed the appellate courts of this state competent to finally dispose of the life and liberty of its citizens in case of criminal appeals and vast property and civil rights of its citizens in the case of civil appeals. This power has been exercised by the appellate courts in these areas since statehood without any hue and cry from the citizenry. However, for some unfathomed reason, the right of review afforded a judge’s opinion, is withheld in the case of a decision of an administrative body — as pointed out in Chief Judge Haire’s opinion, the appellate courts of this state may only affirm or set aside an award of the Industrial Commission.
While I am of the opinion that such a distinction is without basis, in the days of uncrowded appellate court dockets, such an inefficient method of review was at least acceptable. Such is not the case today.
As former Chief Judge of this court for the past two years, it has been my unpleasant duty to observe the continued increase of the workload of this court exceed its *190output.3 Such increased filings in this court has necessitated increasing the number of judges of this court to six in 1969 and again to nine in July of 1974. With the necessity of increasing judges and their supportive staff, a corresponding increase in the burden placed on the taxpayers of this state has likewise occurred. It is therefore my considered opinion that any steps taken which would finally put to rest litigation before this court and hence foreclose further appellate review should be given serious legislative consideration.
The case under discussion here is a classic example of this judicial waste. The petitioner originally came before this court contending, among other things, that error was committed by not allowing her the opportunity to present evidence as to her psychiatric condition. This court agreed and had it possessed the same authority it possesses in any other type of appeal it could have remanded the matter back to the Commission for consideration of this limited evidence. In this case such a limited consideration by the Commission would have terminated this litigation for it appears that such psychiatric evidence was either not available or if available was adverse to the petitioner.
However, because of this court’s inability by statute to mandate such a result, the petitioner is allowed to re-try those very same issues which were the subject matter of her first review in this court and the cycle of administrative hearing and appellate review is again put in motion. Our traditions of judicial fairplay have been based on the proposition that litigants are entitled to their day in court, but only their day, not years, to the vexation of their opponents by relitigating issues that have previously been put to rest by a determination. Any other rule than this salutory principle results in dilatory tactics; rewards the vexatious; and adds to the already overloaded judicial and administrative systems.
If for no other reason than to allow this court to seasonably consider litigants’ problems awaiting decision for the first time, without having to consider prior litigants' problems for the second or third time, I strongly urge the legislature to enact legislation similar to Senate Bill 1316, introduced at the 2nd regular session of the 31st Legislature.

. In 1965 (the first year of this court’s existence) there were 326 cases filed and 231 were disposed of. In 1974 these figures had risen to 929 filings and 647 dispositions.