THIS OPINION IS DESIGNA TED "NOT TO BE PUBLISHED." PURSUANT TO THE RULES OF CI VIL PR OCED URE PR OMUL GA TED B Y THE SUPREME COURT, CR 76.28 (4) (c), THIS OPINION IS NOT TO BE PUBLISHED AND SHALL NOT BE CITED OR USED AS A UTHORITYIN ANY OTHER
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'ANT NOTICE
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED OPINION
THIS OPINION IS DESIGNA TED "NOT TO BE
PUBLISHED." PURSUANT TO THE RULES OF
CIVIL PR OCED URE PR OMUL GA TED B Y THE
SUPREME COURT, CR 76.28 (4) (c), THIS OPINION
IS NOT TO BE PUBLISHED AND SHALL NOT BE
CITED OR USED AS A UTHORITYIN ANY OTHER
CASE INANY CO URT OF THIS STA TE.
RENDERED : AUGUST 25, 2005
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED
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2005-SC-0063-MR
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SANDRA C . BROOKS AND
WILLIAM C . JACOBS
J
APPELLANTS
APPEAL FROM COURT OF APPEALS
2004-CA-001717
FAYETTE CIRCUIT COURT NO. 92-CI-02843
V.
APPELANTS
HON . GARY D. PAYNE, JUDGE,
FAYETTE CIRCUIT COURT AND
LEXINGTON-FAYETTE URBAN COUNTY
HOUSING AUTHORITY
REAL PARTY IN INTEREST
MEMORANDUM OPINION OF THE COURT
AFFIRMING
This appeal is from a denial of a writ of prohibition in the Court of Appeals. The
writ seeks to reverse the circuit judge's removal of post-judgment interest on a
judgment in the Fayette Circuit Court .
In 1999, Brooks brought a successful action under the Kentucky Civil Rights
Protection Act against the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Housing Authority. The
judgment included post-judgment interest . The Court of Appeals reversed and vacated
the judgment of the circuit court . On appeal, this Court affirmed in part, reversed in
part, and remanded the case to the circuit court to reinstate the original judgment in
favor of Brooks . Brooks v. Lexington -Fayette Urban County Housing Auth . , 132 S.W.3d
790 (Ky . 2004) .
On remand, the circuit judge entertained a motion by the Housing Authority to
remove the post-judgment interest on the judgment based upon Kentucky Dept. of
Corrections v. McCullough , 123 S .W.3d 130 (Ky. 2003) . McCullough supra, held that a
government agency is not subject to post-judgment interest under the KCRPA .
The circuit judge held a hearing on the motion and ruled to remove the postjudgment interest . Before he rendered a final judgment on the remand, Brooks filed an
original action in the Court of Appeals for a writ of prohibition to prevent the circuit judge
from removing the post-judgment interest . The Court of Appeals passed on the original
action for thirty days and directed the circuit judge to issue a written order to
memorialize the decision . The circuit judge then issued a written Opinion and Order
and its Final Judgment . Upon the issuance of the final judgment of the circuit judge, the
Court of Appeals denied the original action for the writ of prohibition due to lack of
entitlement because it believed Brooks had an adequate remedy by immediately filing a
notice of appeal . Brooks now appeals the denial of her writ .
Brooks contends that she is entitled to the extraordinary writ of prohibition
because the circuit judge was acting outside of his jurisdiction when he granted the
motion by the Housing Authority to remove the post-judgment interest from the
judgment . She argues that he was outside of his jurisdiction because the amendment
to the judgment exceeded the ten day limit as prescribed in Commonwealth v. Gross,
936 S.W.2d 85 (Ky. 1996). She alleges that the final judgment had been entered in
1999 and the amendment was nearly five years later, in 2004 . Alternatively, Brooks
claims that the circuit judge acted outside of his jurisdiction based upon the "law of the
case" doctrine as this Court had affirmed the original judgment and remanded for
reinstatement. She complains that because this Court did not convey the power to alter
the original judgment, the circuit judge was bound by the original judgment under the
"law of the case" doctrine and acted outside of his jurisdiction when he altered the
judgment which had been approved by this Court.
The analysis of this issue falls under the test recognized in Hoskins v. Maricle,
150 S .W.3d 1 (Ky. 2004), which restates the rule announced in the seminal case of
Bender v. Eaton, 343 S.W .2d 799 (Ky. 1961), that a writ of prohibition may be granted
upon a showing that (1) the lower court is proceeding or is about to proceed outside of
its jurisdiction and there is no remedy through an application to an intermediate court;
or (2) that the lower court is acting or is about to act erroneously, although within its
jurisdiction, and there exists no adequate remedy by appeal or otherwise, and great
injustice and irreparable injury will result if the petition is not granted. A writ of
prohibition is an extraordinary remedy authorized by Sections 110 and 111 of the
Kentucky Constitution . It may be used by a court in a discretionary manner. Generally,
it may not be used as a substitute for the appellate process .
Here, the circuit judge decided to delete statutory judgment interest from the two
final judgments affirmed by the Supreme Court . Clearly, the issue involved in this
dispute is monetary. On appeal, it can be remedied by a court of appropriate
jurisdiction by the imposition of interest or additional interest if any is found to be
justified . Cf. Newell Enterprises, Inc . v. Bowling , 158 S .W .3d 750 (Ky. 2005).
Brooks has not shown that her remedy by appeal is inadequate or that there
would be a miscarriage of justice in the absence of a writ to such a degree or under the
circumstances previously outlined by this Court so as to require relief.
The decision of the Court of Appeals is affirmed .
All concur.
COUNSEL FOR APPELLANTS:
William C. Jacobs
173 North Limestone Street
Lexington, KY 40507-1122
COUNSEL FOR APPELLEE
REAL PARTY IN INTEREST :
Philip C. Eschels
Brent R. Baughman
GREENEBAUM DOLL & McDONALD
3300 First National Tower
101 South Fifth Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Winifred Bryant Becker
GREENBAUM DOLL & McDONALD
300 West Vine Street, Ste. 1100
Lexington, KY 40507
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