Manning v. State Ex Rel. Div‪.‬

This case involves the question of when a hearing examiner acquires jurisdiction to appoint an attorney and award attorney fees in a workers compensation case. The district court reversed the hearing examiners orders awarding attorney fees, finding that the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) acquires jurisdiction only when 1) an interested party files a written objection to a determination by the Division, and 2) the matter is properly referred to the OAH for resolution in a contested case proceeding. In addition, the district court denied attorney fees incurred in the appeal to that court.