An appellate court decision establishes the law of the case and must be followed by the trial court on remand and by the appellate court in subsequent appeals.
Plaintiffs filed a products liability and negligence action alleging that asbestos exposure from a defendant's products caused a relative's death. Following a prior appeal where the appellate court vacated a jury verdict, the district court granted summary judgment for the defendant. Plaintiffs argued that the appellate court's previous findings regarding foreseeability and duty were merely dicta and should not govern the remanded proceedings. The court held that when a case is appealed and remanded, the appellate decision establishes the law of the case and must be followed by the trial court. Because the plaintiffs failed to produce new evidence to overcome the prior appellate rulings, summary judgment was appropriate.
At page 1183 Establishing law of the case upon appellate remand66 citing cases“when a case is appealed and remanded, the decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the case and ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and the appellate court in any subsequent appeal.”
- Dean v. United States, No. 1:22-cv-00179 (D.N.M. Mar. 29, 2024).(Summary judgment is appropriate if the non-moving party cannot adduce probative evidence on an element of its claim upon which it bears the burden of proof.)
- Rife v. Jefferson, No. 17-7037 (10th Cir. Aug. 2, 2018).unpublished ([W]hen a case is appealed and remanded, the decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the case and ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and the appellate court in any subsequent ap…)
- United States v. Zander, No. 18-4012 (10th Cir. Mar. 7, 2018).unpublished([W]hen a case is appealed and remanded, the decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the case and ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and the appellate court in any subsequent ap…)
- Garcia v. Escalante, 678 F. App'x 649 (10th Cir. 2017).unpublished([W]hen a case is appealed and remanded, the decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the case and ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and the appellate court in any subsequent ap…)
- Bronk v. Mountain States, No. 99-1236 (10th Cir. June 27, 2000).unpublished([W]hen a case is appealed and remanded, the decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the case and ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and the appellate 16 court in any subsequent…)
- Ali v. Lambert, 384 F. Supp. 3d 1321 (N.D. Okla. 2019).published([W]hen a case is appealed and remanded, the decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the case and ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and the appellate court in any subsequent ap…)
- Universitas Educ. v. Avon Capital, 124 F.4th 1231 (10th Cir. 2024).publishedSo Avon and SDM’s motions to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction, filed before the mandate issued, were premature as well as meritless. 17 Appellate Case: 23-6125 Document: 111-1 Date Filed: 12/31/2024 Page: 18 trial court on remand and the a…
- Aposhian v. Whitaker, No. 2:19-cv-00037 (D. Utah Sept. 29, 2023).Aposhian II and the Law-of-the-Case Doctrine As a general matter, “[t]he law of the case doctrine provides that once an appellate court decides an issue[,] the decision will be binding on all subsequent proceedings in the same case.” Mitch…
- Hemp Recovery Co. v. Boyd, No. 22-01258 (Bankr. D. Colo. July 10, 2023).Servs., Inc., 490 Fed. Appx. 115, 117-118 (10th Cir. 2012) (unpublished) (“Summary judgment is appropriate if the non-moving party cannot adduce probative evidence on an element of its claim upon which it bears the burden of proof.”) (quot…
- Harris v. City Cycle Sales, Inc., No. 2:21-cv-02264 (D. Kan. Apr. 13, 2022).Kan. 2019) (quoting Rohrbaugh v. Celotex Corp., 53 F.3d 1181, 1183 (10th Cir. 1995)). 19 See, e.g., Fish v. Schwab, 957 F.3d 1105, 1139-40 (10th Cir. 2020); Mason, 948 F.2d at 1553 (stating that “the district court may reconsider an issue…
Show 52 more citing cases
- Hill v. Portillo, No. 21-01070 (Bankr. D. Colo. Jan. 28, 2022).Servs., Inc., 490 Fed. Appx. 115, 117-118 (10th Cir. 2012) (unpublished) (“Summary judgment is appropriate if the non-moving party cannot adduce probative evidence on an element of its claim upon which it bears the burden of proof.”) (citi…
- United States v. Osage Wind, LLC, No. 4:14-cv-00704 (N.D. Okla. Aug. 25, 2021).Further, even if the law of the case doctrine would generally apply, Osage Wind asks the court to exercise its discretion to depart from the rule. “[T]he law of the case doctrine posits that when a court decides upon a rule of law, that de…
- Parrish v. Arvest Bank, No. 18-6133 (10th Cir. Apr. 8, 2019).unpublished(applying the law of the case doctrine)
- Black & Veatch Corp. v. Aspen Ins. (Uk) Ltd., 378 F. Supp. 3d 975 (D. Kan. 2019).published“applies to all issues previously decided, either explicitly or by necessary implication”
- United States v. Redifer, No. 17-3127 (10th Cir. Mar. 23, 2018).unpublished Rohrbaugh v. Celotex Corp., 53 F.3d 1181, 1183 (10th Cir. 1995); see Bishop v. Smith, 760 F.3d 1070, 1084 (10th Cir. 2014).
- Doornbos v. City Of Chicago, No. 1:13-cv-06021 (N.D. Ill. Feb. 19, 2018).“Accordingly, ‘when a case is appealed and remanded, the decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the case and ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and the appellate court in any subsequent appeal.’”…
- Veh. Mkt. Rsch., Inc. v. Mitchell Int'l, Inc., 839 F.3d 1251 (10th Cir. 2016).publishedThis principle applies to all ‘issues previously decided, either explicitly or by necessary implication.’ ” Rohrbaugh v. Celotex Corp., 53 F.3d 1181, 1183 (10th Cir. 1995) (citations omitted). *1257 VMR argues the' prior appeal of this cas…
- Webb v. Smith, 643 F. App'x 765 (10th Cir. 2016).unpublished([W]hen a case is appealed and remanded, the decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the case and ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and the appellate court in any subsequent ap…)
- Kipling v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins., 159 F. Supp. 3d 1254 (D. Colo. 2016).publishedA. Legal Standard “[W]hen a case is appealed and remanded, the decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the case and ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and the appellate court in any subsequent appe…
- Cressman v. Thompson, 798 F.3d 938 (10th Cir. 2015).publishedUnder this doctrine, “the decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the case and ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and the appellate court in any subsequent appeal.” Zinna v. Congrove, 755 F.3d 1177…
- Lemmons v. Clymer, 609 F. App'x 949 (10th Cir. 2015).unpublished([Wjhen a case is appealed and remanded, the decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the case and ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and the appellate court in any subsequent ap…)
- Thompson v. TCI Prods. Co., 81 F. Supp. 3d 1257 (N.D. Okla. 2015).published Rohrbaugh II, 53 F.3d at 1182.
- Zinna v. Congrove ex rel. Est. of Congrove, 755 F.3d 1177 (10th Cir. 2014).published“[W]hen a case is appealed and remanded, the decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the case and ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and the appellate court in any subsequent app…”
- United States v. MacKay, 20 F. Supp. 3d 1287 (D. Utah 2014).published“When a case is appealed and remanded, the decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the case and ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and the appellate court in any subsequent appeal”
- United States v. Thomas, 554 F. App'x 742 (10th Cir. 2014).unpublished(Thus, when a case is appealed and remanded, the decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the case and ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and the appellate court in an subsequent…)
- United States v. Montoya, 428 F. App'x 791 (10th Cir. 2011).unpublished“[T]he decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the case and ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and the appellate court in any subsequent appeal”
- United States v. West, 646 F.3d 745 (10th Cir. 2011).publishedA. Violent Felony Under the ACCA and Law of the Case “ ‘[W]hen a case is appealed and remanded, the decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the case and *748 ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and…
- Sparks v. Rittenhouse, 314 F. App'x 104 (10th Cir. 2008).unpublishedRohrbaugh v. Celotex Corp., 53 F.3d 1181, 1183 (10th Cir.1995).
- United States v. Rodriguez-Aguirre, 414 F.3d 1177 (10th Cir. 2005).published
- Geana J. Dunkin v. Louisiana-Pac. Corp. James Beldin Douglas Eddins, 120 F.3d 270 (10th Cir. 1997).published
- United States v. Alvarez, 142 F.3d 1243 (10th Cir. 1998).published
- Donna Davis v. Prudential Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co., 145 F.3d 1345 (10th Cir. 1998).published
- United States v. Contreras, 180 F.3d 1204 (10th Cir. 1999).published
- McIlravy v. Kerr-McGee Coal Corp., 204 F.3d 1031 (10th Cir. 2000).published
- Greene v. Safeway Stores, Inc., 210 F.3d 1237 (10th Cir. 2000).published
- Wheeler v. HO Sports Inc., 232 F.3d 754 (10th Cir. 2000).published
- United States v. Crowell, 15 F. App'x 709 (10th Cir. 2001).unpublished
- Huffman v. Saul Holdings Ltd. P'ship, 262 F.3d 1128 (10th Cir. 2001).published
- Tel. Mine Ltd. v. Harmatz, 335 F.3d 1247 (10th Cir. 2003).published
- United States v. Hurlich, 348 F.3d 1219 (10th Cir. 2003).published
- United States ex rel. S. Ute Indian Tribe v. Hess, 348 F.3d 1237 (10th Cir. 2003).published
- O'Toole v. Northrop Grumman Corp., 113 F. App'x 314 (10th Cir. 2004).unpublished
- Gross v. Pirtle, 116 F. App'x 189 (10th Cir. 2004).unpublished
- United States v. Williams, 184 F. App'x 730 (10th Cir. 2006).unpublished
- Roth v. Green, 466 F.3d 1179 (10th Cir. 2006).published
- United States v. Gatewood, 220 F. App'x 824 (10th Cir. 2007).unpublished
- United States v. Kelly, 247 F. App'x 978 (10th Cir. 2007).unpublished
- United Transp. Union v. City of Albuquerque, 664 F.3d 792 (10th Cir. 2011).published
- Jim Powell v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 66 F.3d 339 (10th Cir. 1995).published
- Thomas W. Hill v. United States Air Force, 68 F.3d 483 (10th Cir. 1995).published
- United States v. Jerry v. Rice, 76 F.3d 394 (10th Cir. 1996).published
- Mitchell v. Maynard, 80 F.3d 1433 (10th Cir. 1996).published
- Cascade Energy & Metals Corp. v. Jeffrey G. Banks, the & Judgment Creditors Herein Associate Gold Technics Dfts, & Interphase Corp. W. David Weston Tel. Mine Ltd. Stephen W. Rupp, Tr. of the Chapter 7 Bankr. Est. of Rex Montis Silver Co. v. Rex Montis Silver Co., Cross-Claim-Defendant-Appellant. Cascade Energy & Metals Corp., Delano S. Findlay v. Banks, the & Judgment Creditors Herein Rex Montis Silver Co. Interphase Corp. W. David Weston Tel. Mine Ltd. Stephen W. Rupp, Tr. of the Chapter 7 Bankr. Est. of Rex Montis Silver Co., Associate Gold Technics Dfts, Cascade Energy & Metals Corp. v. Banks, the & Judgment Creditors Herein Rex Montis Silver Co. Interphase Corp. W. David Weston Stephen W. Rupp, Tr. of the Chapter 7 Bankr. Est. of Rex Montis Silver Co., Associate Gold Technics Dfts v. Tel. Mine Ltd., & Tel. Mine Jt. Venture, Cross-Claim-Defendants-Appellants. Cascade Energy & Metals Corp. v. Banks, the & Judgment Creditors Herein Rex Montis Silver Co. Interphase Corp. W. David Weston Tel. Mine Ltd. Stephen W. Rupp, Tr. of the Chapter 7 Bankr. Est. of Rex Montis Silver Co., Associate Gold Technics Dfts, Cascade Energy & Metals Corp. v. Banks, the & Judgment Creditors Herein Associate Interphase Corp. Stephen W. Rupp, Tr. of the Chapter 7 Bankr. Est. of Rex Montis Silver Co., Gold Technics Dfts, Rex Montis Silver Co. W. David Weston Tel. Mine Ltd., Cross-Claim-Defendants-Appellees. Cascade Energy & Metals Corp. v. Banks, the & Judgment Creditors Herein Rex Montis Silver Co. Interphase Corp. Tel. Mine Ltd. Stephen W. Rupp, Tr. of the Chapter 7 Bankr. Est. of Rex Montis Silver Co. Est. of Bernard Hodowski, & Associate Gold Technics Dfts Sam Harmatz A.C. Nejedly Rosalie Donahey Chris Waugh H.E. Moses Est. of Joe F. Duncan Eliot Weinberg v. W. David Weston, Cross-Claim-Defendant-Appellant, 85 F.3d 640 (10th Cir. 1996).published
- Rose WILDER v. Kenneth S. APFEL, 153 F.3d 799 (7th Cir. 1998).published
- Kustom Signals, Inc. v. Applied Concepts, Inc., 247 F. Supp. 2d 1233 (D. Kan. 2003).published
- United States v. Trotter (Mardell), 601 F. App'x 721 (10th Cir. 2015).unpublished
- Waste Mgmt. of Ohio, Inc. v. City of Dayton, 169 F. App'x 976 (6th Cir. 2006).unpublished
- Rodgers v. Beechcraft Corp., No. 17-5045 (10th Cir. Dec. 14, 2018).unpublished
- MTGLQ Investors v. Wellington, No. 21-2017 (10th Cir. July 20, 2021).unpublished
- Howard v. Zimmer, Inc., 711 F.3d 1148 (10th Cir. 2012).published
- Ibarra v. Lee, 135 F.4th 1257 (10th Cir. 2025).published
- Gunter v. State of Oklahoma, No. 25-6043 (10th Cir. June 17, 2025).unpublished
At page 1184 Defining dicta and its relevance to legal propositions40 citing cases“dicta are 'statements and comments in an opinion concerning some rule of law or legal proposition not necessarily involved nor essential to determination of the case in hand.”
- Lane, No. 1:25-cv-02479 (D. Colo. Aug. 10, 2026).“Dicta are ‘statements and comments in an opinion concerning some rule of law or legal proposition not necessarily involved nor essential to determination of the case in hand.’” In re Haberman, 347 B.R. 411, 416 (B.A.P. 10th Cir. 2006), af…
- Cruz v. City of Deming, 687 F. Supp. 3d 1155 (D.N.M. 2023).published“Dicta are ‘statements and comments in an opinion concerning some rule of law or legal proposition not necessarily involved nor essential to determination of the case in hand”
- Standing Akimbo v. United States, No. 21-1379 (10th Cir. Jan. 27, 2023).unpublishedSee United States v. Serawop, 505 F.3d 1112, 1122 (10th Cir. 2007); Rohrbaugh v. Celotex Corp., 53 F.3d 1181, 1184 (10th Cir. 1995).
- S-tek 1, LLC, No. 20-12241 (Bankr. D.N.M. Dec. 9, 2021).Kan. 2019) (dicta is the exception to the rule of stare decisis under which the bankruptcy court would otherwise be bound by Tenth Circuit decisions). “[D]icta are ‘statements and comments in an opinion concerning some rule of law or legal…
- In re CCA Recordings 2255 Litig., No. 2:19-cv-02491 (D. Kan. Jan. 18, 2021).In that case, the Supreme Court discussed the separate grounding of the effective- assistance component of the right to counsel and the right to representation of counsel of 61 Thompson v. Weyerhaeuser Co., 582 F.3d 1125, 1129 (10th Cir. 2…
- Scalia v. Wynnewood Refining, 978 F.3d 1175 (10th Cir. 2020).publishedTuttle v. United States (In re Tuttle), 291 F.3d 1238, 1242 (10th Cir. 2002) (quoting Rohrbaugh v. Celotex Corp., 53 F.3d 1181, 1184 (10th Cir. 1995)).
- Stoedter v. Gates, 704 F. App'x 748 (10th Cir. 2017).unpublished(defining dicta as “statements and comments in an opinion concerning some rule of law or legal proposition not necessarily involved nor essential to determination of the case in hand.” (quoting Black’s Law Dictionary 454…)
- Ting Xue v. Lynch, 846 F.3d 1099 (10th Cir. 2016).published Rohrbaugh v. Celotex Corp., 53 F.3d 1181, 1184 (10th Cir. 1995) (quoting Black’s Law Dictionary 454 (6th ed. 1990)).
- Nat'l Fed'n of the Blind v. United Airlines Inc., 813 F.3d 718 (9th Cir. 2016).published Sys. v. WorldCom, Inc., 368 F.3d 86 , 106 n.19 (2d Cir. 2004); DaimlerChrysler Corp. v. United States, 361 F.3d 1378, 1384 (Fed. Cir. 2004); Figg v. Schroeder, 312 F.3d 625 , 643 n.14 (4th Cir. 2002); PDV Midwest Ref., L.L.C. v. Armada Oil…
- Lazzo v. Rose Hill Bank (In re Schupbach Investments, L.L.C.), 808 F.3d 1215 (10th Cir. 2015).publishedOur statement concerning the need to show extraordinary circumstances therefore was not dicta (i.e., a statement not necessarily involved or essential to the resolution of the appeal, see Rohrbaugh v. Celotex Corp., 53 F.3d 1181, 1184 (10t…
Show 28 more citing cases
- United States v. Barela, 797 F.3d 1186 (10th Cir. 2015).published“statements and comments in an opinion concerning some rule of law or legal proposition not necessarily involved nor essential to determination of the case in hand”
- Thompson v. TCI Prods. Co., 81 F. Supp. 3d 1257 (N.D. Okla. 2015).published Rohrbaugh II, 53 F.3d at 1182.
- Doe v. United States, 774 F.3d 1300 (10th Cir. 2014).published As we have also stated, “dicta are statements and comments in an opinion concerning some rule of law or legal proposition 4 not necessarily involved nor essential to determination of the case in hand.” United States v. Villareal-Ortiz, 553…
- Tokoph v. United States, 774 F.3d 1300 (10th Cir. 2014).publishedAs we have also stated, “dicta are statements and comments in an opinion concerning some rule of law or legal proposition not necessarily involved nor essential to determination of the case in hand.” United States v. Villarreal-Ortiz, 553…
- United States v. Harris, 695 F.3d 1125 (10th Cir. 2012).published“not necessarily involved nor essential to determination of the case in hand”
- Est. of Holmes v. Pneumo Abex, LLC, 955 N.E.2d 1173 (Ill. App. Ct. 4th Dist. 2011).published See Martin v. Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co., 561 F.3d 439, 446 (6th Cir. 2009); Rohrbaugh v. Celotex Corp., 53 F.3d 1181, 1184 (10th Cir. 1995); Boley v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 2010 Ohio 2550, ¶ 25 , 929 N.E.2d 448, 453 ; Riedel v. IC…
- Thompson v. Weyerhaeuser Co., 582 F.3d 1125 (10th Cir. 2009).published“statements and comments in an opinion concerning some rule of law or legal proposition not necessarily involved nor essential to determination of the case in hand”
- Sparks v. Rittenhouse, 314 F. App'x 104 (10th Cir. 2008).unpublishedRohrbaugh v. Celotex Corp., 53 F.3d 1181, 1183 (10th Cir.1995).
- United States v. Jerry v. Rice, 76 F.3d 394 (10th Cir. 1996).published
- Keyes ex rel. Keyes v. Sch. Dist. No. 1, 119 F.3d 1437 (10th Cir. 1997).published
- UMLIC-Nine Corp. v. Lipan Springs Dev. Corp., 168 F.3d 1173 (10th Cir. 1999).published
- United States v. Elizalde-Altamirano, 226 F. App'x 846 (10th Cir. 2007).unpublished
- Wrenn ex rel. Wrenn v. Astrue, 525 F.3d 931 (10th Cir. 2008).published
- United States v. Villarreal-Ortiz, 553 F.3d 1326 (10th Cir. 2009).published
- United States v. Smith, 454 F. App'x 686 (10th Cir. 2012).unpublished
- United States v. Gilberto Orozco-Rodriguez, 60 F.3d 705 (10th Cir. 1995).published
- Peterson v. Martinez, 707 F.3d 1197 (10th Cir. 2013).published
- Gaines-Tabb v. Ici Explosives USA, Inc., 995 F. Supp. 1304 (W.D. Okla. 1996).published
- Morris v. St. John Nat'l Bank (In re Haberman), 347 B.R. 411 (B.A.P. 10th Cir. 2006).published
- In re Nat. Gas Royalties Qui Tam Litig., 467 F. Supp. 2d 1117 (D. Wyo. 2006).published
- United States v. Westlands Water Dist., 134 F. Supp. 2d 1111 (E.D. Cal. 2001).published
- B-S Steel of Kansas, Inc. v. Texas Indus., Inc., 327 F. Supp. 2d 1252 (D. Kan. 2004).published
- United States v. Campbell, No. 18-2033 (10th Cir. Feb. 15, 2019).unpublished
- United States v. Salazar, 987 F.3d 1248 (10th Cir. 2021).published
- FTC v. Elite IT Partners, 91 F.4th 1042 (10th Cir. 2024).published
- Poe v. Drummond, 149 F.4th 1107 (10th Cir. 2025).published
- Oxy USA, Inc. v. Babbitt, 230 F.3d 1178 (10th Cir. 2000).published
- UTE Indian Tribe of the Uintah v. Lawrence, 312 F. Supp. 3d 1219 (D. Utah 2018).published
At page 1182 Reviewing summary judgment standard de novo22 citing cases“[s]ummary judgment is appropriate if the [opposing] party cannot adduce probative evidence on an element of its claim upon which it bears the burden of proof”
- Dean v. United States, No. 1:22-cv-00179 (D.N.M. Mar. 29, 2024).Doc. 51; see Cardoso v. Calbone, 490 F.3d 1194, 1197 (10th Cir. 2007) (stating the plaintiff must “make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to [his] case in order to survive summary judgment”); Rohrbaugh…
- Asvalo Real Est. v. Stack Real Est., No. 2:23-cv-00728 (D. Utah July 26, 2024).“[s]ummary judgment is appropriate if the [opposing] party cannot adduce probative evidence on an element of its claim upon which it bears the burden of proof”
- Thompson v. TCI Prods. Co., 81 F. Supp. 3d 1257 (N.D. Okla. 2015).published Rohrbaugh II, 53 F.3d at 1182.
- Thomas v. U.S. Bureau of Prisons, 282 F. App'x 701 (10th Cir. 2008).unpublishedRohrbaugh v. Celotex Corp., 53 F.3d 1181, 1182-83 (10th Cir.1995).
- Alderfer v. Bd. of Trs., 261 F. App'x 147 (10th Cir. 2008).unpublishedRohrbaugh v. Celotex Corp., 53 F.3d 1181, 1182 (10th Cir.1995).
- Hastings v. Barnes, 252 F. App'x 197 (10th Cir. 2007).unpublished “We review a grant of summary judgment de novo, applying the same legal standard used by the district court under *201 FecLR.Civ.P. 56(c)”
- Comm. to Save the Rio Hondo v. Lucero, 102 F.3d 445 (10th Cir. 1996).published
- Biodiversity Legal Found. v. Babbitt, 146 F.3d 1249 (10th Cir. 1998).published
- O'Shea v. Welch, 101 F. App'x 800 (10th Cir. 2004).unpublished
- Schwartz & Hays v. Hafen, 112 F. App'x 655 (10th Cir. 2004).unpublished
Show 9 more citing cases
- United States v. Rodriguez-Aguirre, 414 F.3d 1177 (10th Cir. 2005).published
- Douglas v. Norton, 167 F. App'x 698 (10th Cir. 2006).unpublished
- Valley View Angus Ranch, Inc. v. Duke Energy Field Servs., Inc., 497 F.3d 1096 (10th Cir. 2007).published
- Dopp v. Loring, 245 F. App'x 842 (10th Cir. 2007).unpublished
- Jones v. Salt Lake Cnty., 503 F.3d 1147 (10th Cir. 2007).published
- Lynch v. Bulman, No. 06-1018, 2007 WL 2993612 (10th Cir. Oct. 15, 2007).unpublished
- MacKenzie v. City & Cnty. of Denver, 414 F.3d 1266 (10th Cir. 2005).published
- Catron Cnty. Bd. of Commissioners v. United States Fish & Wildlife Serv., 75 F.3d 1429 (10th Cir. 1996).published
- Tran v. Sonic Indus. Servs., Inc., 490 F. App'x 115 (10th Cir. 2012).unpublished
v.
The CELOTEX CORPORATION, and Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation
Plaintiffs-Appellants Rohrbaugh, Clay, and Ambler appeal the district court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of Defendant-Appellee Owens-Corning Fiberglas (“OCF”). Our jurisdiction arises under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 and we affirm.
Background
Plaintiffs filed a negligence and products liability action to recover for the alleged wrongful death of their mother, Dorothy Mae Palmer. Plaintiffs allege that Mrs. Palmer was exposed to asbestos dust when she washed the work clothes worn by her husband, this dust came from products manufactured by OCF, and the exposure caused Mrs. Palmer to develop mesothelioma, a tumor of the visceral or parietal pleura. Oklahoma law controls.
A jury awarded $450,000 to Plaintiffs for the death of Mrs. Palmer. On appeal, we vacated the judgment and remanded for further proceedings in conformance with the opinion. Rohrbaugh v. Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp., 965 F.2d 844 (10th Cir.1992) (“Rohrbaugh /”). Defendant OCF moved for summary judgment. Plaintiffs now appeal the grant of summary judgment, contending that the district court erred in applying the law of the case.
Discussion
We review a grant of summary judgment de novo, applying the same legal standard used by the district court under Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). James v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., 21 F.3d 989, 997-98 (10th Cir.1994). Summary judgment should be granted if “there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and ... the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). We consider the “factual record and reasonable inferences therefrom in the light most favorable to the party opposing sum[*1183]mary judgment.” Blue Circle Cement, Inc. v. Board of County Comm’rs., 27 F.3d 1499, 1503 (10th Cir.1994). Summary judgment is appropriate if the non-moving party cannot adduce probative evidence on an element of its claim upon which it bears the burden of proof. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 247-50, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2509-11, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986); Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323-27, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2552-55, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co., Ltd. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 585-87, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 1355-56, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986).
The law of the case doctrine provides “ ‘[w]hen a court decides upon a rule of law, that decision should continue to govern the same issues in subsequent stages in the same case.’” Mason v. Texaco, Inc., 948 F.2d 1546, 1553 (10th Cir.1991) (quoting Arizona v. California, 460 U.S. 605, 618, 103 S.Ct. 1382, 1391, 75 L.Ed.2d 318 (1983)), cert. denied, 504 U.S. 910, 112 S.Ct. 1941, 118 L.Ed.2d 547 (1992). Thus when a case is appealed and remanded, the decision of the appellate court establishes the law of the ease and ordinarily will be followed by both the trial court on remand and the appellate court in any subsequent appeal. United States v. Monsisvais, 946 F.2d 114, 116 (10th Cir.1991) (citing IB J. Moore, J. Lucas & T. Currier, Moore’s Federal Practice ¶ 0.404[1], at 119 (2d ed. 1991)). This principle applies to all “issues previously decided, either explicitly or by necessary implication.” Guidry v. Sheet Metal Workers Int’l Ass’n, 10 F.3d 700, 705 (10th Cir.1993) (citations omitted), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 115 S.Ct. 1691, 131 L.Ed.2d 566 (1995).
Plaintiffs argue that they have not had the opportunity to litigate their case under the correct law. In order to maintain an action in manufacturer’s products liability, Plaintiffs must prove that the product was the cause of the injury, that the defect existed in the product at the time the product left the Defendant’s possession and control, and that the defect made the product unreasonably dangerous. Kirkland v. General Motors Corp., 521 P.2d 1353, 1363 (Okla.1974). The “unreasonably dangerous” prong of this test is not met here. Accordingly, summary judgment was appropriate. See Celotex, 477 U.S. at 323-27, 106 S.Ct. at 2552-55.
A product is unreasonably dangerous if it is “ ‘dangerous to an extent beyond that which would be contemplated by the ordinary consumer who purchases it, with the ordinary knowledge common to the community as to its characteristics.’” Kirkland, 521 P.2d at 1362-63 (quoting Restatement (Second) of Torts § 402A cmt. i (1965)). An ordinary consumer is defined under Oklahoma law as “one who would be foreseeably expected to purchase the product involved.” Woods v. Fruehauf Trailer Corp., 765 P.2d 770, 774 (Okla.1988). The failure of the manufacturer to properly warn the consumer of dangers associated with a product’s use may also cause the product to be considered unreasonably dangerous when it is known or should be known that hazards exist. McKee v. Moore, 648 P.2d 21, 23 (Okla.1982).
In Rohrbaugh I, however, we reviewed the trial evidence and held that the Defendant did not have a duty to warn Mrs. Palmer because she was “not a foreseeable purchaser or user of the product.” Rohrbaugh, 965 F.2d at 846. Subsequently on remand, in response to the motion for summary judgment, Plaintiffs failed to produce any additional evidence to create an issue of fact concerning the lack of foreseeability.
Additionally, in Rohrbaugh I we held that Plaintiffs had “produced no evidence that [Defendant] knew or should have known of the hazards associated with their produet[ ].” Id. at 847. Specifically, we found that based on the evidence before the jury, it was unknown at the time of exposure that the particular type of asbestos associated with Defendant’s product could cause mesothelioma. Id. Plaintiffs again failed to produce any additional evidence in response to the summary judgment motion to overcome the lack of evidence on the issue. Instead, Plaintiffs merely listed in summary fashion items of evidence previously admitted at trial. Aplt. App., doc. 4 at 6.
Further, because Mrs. Palmer was not a foreseeable consumer, the negligence claim cannot be maintained. The threshold[*1184] question in a negligence action is whether the defendant owed a duty to the plaintiff allegedly harmed. Wofford v. Eastern State Hosp., 795 P.2d 516, 518 (Okla.1990). The most important consideration in this determination is whether the plaintiff is foreseeably endangered by the defendant’s conduct. Id. at 519. Because of our holding in Rohrbaugh I that Mrs. Palmer was not a foreseeable purchaser or user of the product manufactured by OCF and that Defendants “could not have foreseen that Mrs. Palmer would be exposed to their products in the manner in which she was[,]” the threshold question of duty is not satisfied. Rohrbaugh, 965 F.2d at 846. In the absence of any additional evidence presented by Plaintiffs, we follow the law of Rohrbaugh I.
Plaintiffs argue, however, that the law of the case doctrine does not apply here because our holdings in Rohrbaugh I were dicta. Dicta are “statements and comments in an opinion concerning some rule of law or legal proposition not necessarily involved nor essential to determination of the case in hand.” Black’s Law Dictionary 454 (6th ed. 1990). To the contrary, the holdings at issue were essential to the determination of the first appeal because they provided the basis for declaring the jury instructions erroneous and vacating the judgment. Moreover, Plaintiffs have waived their right to challenge the correctness of the holdings in Rohrbaugh I by failing to seek review of that decision when they had the opportunity to do so. Capps v. Sullivan, 13 F.3d 350, 353 (10th Cir.1993) (citing Williamsburg Wax Museum, Inc. v. Historic Figures, Inc., 810 F.2d 243, 250 (D.C.Cir.1987)).
AFFIRMED.