Stavenjord v. Montana State Fund
WCC No. 2000-0207

Supreme Court Decision: 2006 MT 257

Supreme Court Decision: 2003 MT 67

WCC Decision:

Stavenjord v. State Fund, 2003 MTWCC 30 (4/24/03)
(Withholding Attorney Fees in Plans I & II)

Holding: Occupational disease claimants since 1987 are entitled to permanent partial disability benefits under the Workers' Compensation Act where those benefits are more favorable than the award available under section 39-72-405, MCA.

Docket: (Click on item link to review linked document.)

[DOCUMENTS CONTAINING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION FILED IN THE COURT'S FILE ARE NOT LINKED FOR PUBLIC REVIEW. THE WCC # IS THE DOCKET ITEM NUMBER IN THE COURT'S OFFICIAL FILE. NOT ALL DOCUMENTS FROM THE COURT'S FILE WILL BE POSTED.]

WCC #31 04/09/03 Petitioner's Notice of Common Fund Attorney Fee Lien - 4/9/03
WCC #33 04/22/03 Motion for the Application of the Common Fund Doctrine (Petitioner)
WCC#35 04/24/03 Order Authorizing Withholding
WCC #36 04/28/03 Motion for Stay, Request for Direction on Implementation, and Request for Status Conference (Respondent)
WCC #37 05/05/03 Petitioner's Request for Status Conference and Stipulation to file Delayed Response Briefs
WCC #38 06/06/03 Status Conference Minutes
WCC #39 06/06/03 Transcript of 6/6/03 Proceeding
WCC #40 07/11/03 State Fund's First Status Report
WCC #42 08/28/03 Conference Minute Entry # 3352
WCC #43 08/28/03 Transcript of 8/28/03 Proceeding
WCC #47 01/22/04 Stipulation Regarding Prospective Claims (Stavenjord)
WCC #49 02/13/04 Stavenjord: Joint Stipulation of Facts
WCC #51 02/13/04 State Fund's Status Report to the Court re: Stavenjord
WCC #52 02/20/04 Schmill/Stavenjord Conference
WCC #49 02/13/04 Joint Stipulation of Facts
WCC #50 02/13/04 State Fund's Status Report to the Court
  03/03/04 Letter RE: St. James Community Hosp., Inc.
WCC #53 03/05/04 Stavenjord's Opening Brief On Post-Remand Issues - 3/5/04
WCC #54 03/08/04 State Fund's Opening Brief Regarding Retroactivity, Common Fund Entitlement, Common Fund Fees and Global Lien of Stavenjord's Counsel
WCC #55 04/14/04 Stavenjord's Response Brief - Post-Remand Issues
WCC #56 04/14/04 State Fund's Answer Brief Regarding Retroactivity, Common Fund Entitlement, Common Fund Fees And Global Lien Of Stavenjord's Counsel
WCC #57 05/18/04 Affidavit Of Thomas J. Murphy Re: State Fund Dividend Information To Supplement Agreed Fact #77
  05/26/04 Judge McCarter's Letter To Counsel Requesting Class Action Analysis
WCC #59 06/09/04 Minutes of Conference Call
  06/14/04 Judge's Letter Re: Matters To Discuss In Oral Argument
WCC #63 08/27/04 Decision On Common Fund Retroactivity
WCC #65 09/16/04 Conference Minute Entry # 3499
WCC #67 09/20/04 Order Staying Decision
WCC #75 09/21/05 Memo From Judge Shea To Common Fund Litigation Files With Attached Letter From Judge Shea To John Connor
WCC # 76 09/27/05 E-mail From Court To All Common Fund Counsel
WCC #77 09/30/05 Letter From John P. Connor To Judge Shea
WCC #78 11/23/05 Letter From Thomas J. Murphy To Judge Shea
WCC #79 12/06/05 Memo To Counsel And All Parties Of Record With Blank Affidavit Form
WCC #80 12/28/05 Letter From Court To Michael J. Allison (Brotherhood Mutual Ins. Co.)
WCC #81 01/23/06 Affidavit (Legion Insurance Company - Bruce Daley)
WCC #82 01/23/06 Legion Insurance Company's (In Liquidation) Joinder In Brief Of Reliance Insurance Company (In Liquidation) Seeking Dismissal From Common Fund Actions
WCC #83 03/01/06 Letter From Steven S. Carey To Court (02/27/06)
WCC #84 05/02/06 Affidavit of Darrel M. Seife (Bankers Multiple Line Insurance Company)
WCC #85 05/02/06 Certificate of Service
WCC #86 05/04/06 Letter From Thomas J. Murphy To Kelly Wills (Bankers Multiple Line Insurance) (05/03/06)
WCC #87 07/12/06 Affidavit of Sandy I. Mayernik (Republic Western Insurance Co.)
WCC #88 10/06/06 Supreme Court Decision (#869)
WCC #89 10/11/06 Letter From K. Wills to Court (Requesting Dismissal of Bankers Multiple Line - 10/10/06)
WCC #90 10/11/06 Letter From K. Wills to Court (Requesting Dismissal of Reliance Insurance Company - 10/10/06 [copy--original filed in Reesor])
WCC #91 10/13/06 Memo From Court To Kelly M. Wills (10/13/06)
WCC #92 11/14/06 Remittitur Received From Supreme Court
WCC #93 11/21/06 File Returned from Supreme Court
WCC #94 11/21/06 Supreme Court Order (Request for Rehearing Denied) (871)
WCC #95 11/28/06 Conference Call - Minute Book Hearing No. 3778
WCC #96 12/06/06 Order Requesting Report of Proposed Procedure to Idenitfy Potential Beneficiaries
WCC #97 01/22/07 Report to Court Re: Identification and Notification (State Fund)
WCC #98 02/15/07 Order Inviting Amicus Curiae Briefing
WCC #99 03/07/07 E-Mail From Judge Shea To Counsel
WCC #100 03/08/07 Letter From Thomas J. Murphy to Judge Shea
WCC #101 03/09/07 E-Mail From Judge Shea to Thomas J. Murphy
WCC #102 03/30/07 Petitioner Stavenjord's Report Regarding the Need for a Common Fund
WCC #103 04/02/07 Letter From Susan Francis to Judge Shea (03/29/07)
WCC #104 04/09/07 Letter from Judge Shea to Susan Francis
WCC #105 04/20/07 Request for Judicial Notice/Inclusion in the Record (Montana State Fund)
WCC #106 04/02/07 State Fund's Response to Stavenjord's Report Regarding Need for Common Fund
WCC #107 04/23/07 Telephonic Conference - Minute Book Hearing No. 3839
WCC #108 04/26/07 In-Person Conference - Minute Book Hearing No. 3844
WCC #109 05/08/07 Letter from Judge Shea To Ms. Susan Francis
WCC #110 05/18/07 Letter to Judge from L. Jones (5/17/07)
WCC #111 05/31/07

Transcript of Proceedings (April 16, 2007, Conference)
[ASCII Format]
.PDF Format
Exhibits to Transcript

WCC #112 06/07/07 Copy of Letter from Thomas J. Murphy to Larry Jones (06/06/07)
WCC #113 01/15/08 Order Regarding Identification and Notification of Potential Beneficiaries
WCC #114 01/28/08 Copy of Letter From Thomas J. Murphy to Julie Sampson, Court Reporter (Requesting Transcript for Appeal)
WCC #115 02/04/08 State Fund's Petition for Reconsideration
WCC #116 02/20/08 Petitioner's Response to the State Fund's Request for Reconsideration
WCC #117 04/18/08 Petitioner's Request for Emergency Hearing on Attorney Fee Lien
WCC #118 04/18/08 Letter from Martello to Judge Shea w/ Attached Stavenjord Notification Letters (04/18/08)
WCC #119 04/21/08 Montana State Fund's Response to Petitioner's Request for Emergency Hearing on Attorney Fee Lien
WCC #120 04/21/08 Letter from Murphy to Judge Shea (Attachments Not Linked as They Contain Confidential Information)
WCC #121 04/24/08 Order Denying Respondent's Motion for Reconsideration - 04/24/08
WCC #122 04/28/08 Notice of Appeal (Appellant)
WCC #123 04/29/08 Supreme Court's Notice of Filing (Appeal Filed 4/28/08) (DA 08-0209)
WCC #124 04/30/08 E-Mail Correspondence Between Court and Counsel (Regarding Request for Emergency Hearing and Notice of Appeal)
WCC #125 05/01/08 Amended Notice of Appeal (Appellant)
WCC #126 05/07/08 Notice of Cross-Appeal (Montana State Fund)
WCC #127 05/12/08 Notice of Filing (Montana Supreme Court Notice Cross-Appeal Was Filed on May 8, 2008)
WCC #128 06/03/08 Affidavit (Transport Insurance Company)
WCC #129 06/05/08 File Transmitted to Montana Supreme Court
WCC #130 08/11/08 Copy of Joint Motion to Remand (Filed by Montana State Fund in Supreme Court Case)
WCC #131 08/22/08 Order (Supreme Court Order Granting Joint Motion to Remand)
WCC #132 08/25/08 Letter From Bradley J. Luck to Hon. James Shea (Requesting Conference Call - 08/22/08)
WCC #133 08/26/08 E-Mail From Judge Shea to Counsel Re Legal Authority on Filing Settlement Documents Under Seal
WCC #134 08/29/08 Order [S. Ct. - Granting Joint Motion to Remand]
WCC #135 08/29/08 File Returned From Montana Supreme Court
WCC #136 09/08/08 Telephonic Conference - Minute Book Hearing No. 3979
WCC #137 09/22/08 Letter From Bradley J. Luck to Hon. James J. Shea With Attached Settlement Agreement, Settlement Stipulation, and Proposed Order Re Stavenjord and Reesor
WCC #138 09/26/08 Telephonic Conference - Minute Book Hearing No. 3987
WCC #139 09/30/08 E-Mail From Court to Counsel Rescheduing Conference Call
WCC #140 09/30/08 E-Mail From Bradley J. Luck to Court With Attached Proposed Changes to Order Re Settlement Agreement
WCC #141 10/09/08 Telephonic Conference - Minute Book Hearing No. 3991
WCC #142 10/15/08 Order [Approving Stipulation and Settlement Agreement]
WCC #143 10/16/08 Supplemental Settlement Stipulation
WCC #144 11/07/08 Montana Supreme Court Order Dismissing Appeal With Prejudice Pursuant to Stipulation of Parties and Approval of WCC
WCC #145 11/12/08 Notice - Pursuant to Affidavit Transport Ins. Co. Has No Claimants Meeting Court's Criteria - Requesting Dismissal
WCC #146 11/13/08 Letter From Judge Shea to Transport Insurance Company
WCC #147 11/13/08 In-Person Conference - Minute Book Hearing No. 4011
WCC #148 12/02/08 Telephonic Conference - Minute Book Hearing No. 4008
WCC #149 12/24/08 Stipulation Regarding Insurers (State Farm Fire & Casualty Company, State Farm General Insurance Company, and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company)
WCC #150 12/24/08 Stipulation Regarding Insurer (Bankers Multiple Line Insurance Company)
WCC #151 12/24/08 Stipulation Regarding Insurers (Reliance Insurance Company, Reliance National Indemnity Company, Reliance National Insurance Company, United Pacific Insurance Company, Reliance Direct Company, Reliance Surety Company, Reliance Universal Insurance Company, United Pacific Insurance Company of New York, and Reliance Insurance Company of Illinois)
WCC #152 12/24/08 Stipulation Regarding Insurer (Allstate Insurance Company)
WCC #153 03/04/09 Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation's Notice of Bankruptcy Filing
WCC #154 04/01/09 Letter From Judge Shea to Thomas J. Murphy, James G. Hunt, Bradley J. Luck, and Thomas E. Martello Forwarding Notice of Release of Attorney Fee Lien - Asking for Objections By 4/10/09
WCC #155 04/01/09 Notice Regarding Requests for Dismissal
WCC #156 04/09/09 Letter from Brad Luck to Court advising that State Fund does not object to the entry of the proposed Order releasing the attorney fee liens
WCC #157 04/10/09 Letter from Thomas Murphy to Court advising that he does not object to the entry of the proposed Order Releasing the Attorney Fee Liens
WCC #158 04/14/09 Notice of Release of Attorney Fee Lien
WCC #159 04/22/09 Flynn Minute Entry No. 4054 - In Person Conference - Re Stay of Matters
WCC #160 07/29/10 E-Mail From Bradley J. Luck to Judge Shea Re Stays in Reesor and Stavenjord Pending Appeal in Flynn (Stays Remain in Effect Until Further Notice).
WCC #161 03/06/12 State Fund's Status Report and Motion for Finalization of Settlement
WCC #162 03/08/12 Hearing in Helena - Minute Book Hearing No. 4377
WCC #163 03/08/12 Order Approving Settlement Implementation Process and Final Listing of Potentially Entitled Claimants
WCC #164 03/08/12 [Copy of] Transcript of Proceedings Held on 3/8/2012 Omnibus Hearing--PDF
WCC #165 03/19/12 Order Incorporating Minute Entry [Minute Book Hearing No. 4377]
WCC #166 03/19/13 Montana State Fund's Final Report to the Court
WCC #167 04/04/13 Order Dismissing with Prejudice
WCC #168 07/16/13 Notice to Close File