Adams v. Dion

504 P.2d 1292, 19 Ariz. App. 69, 1973 Ariz. App. LEXIS 439
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedJanuary 16, 1973
DocketNo. 2 CA-CIV 1244
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 504 P.2d 1292 (Adams v. Dion) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Adams v. Dion, 504 P.2d 1292, 19 Ariz. App. 69, 1973 Ariz. App. LEXIS 439 (Ark. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinion

HOWARD, Judge.

Does the release of one joint tort-feasor release all other joint tort-feasors? That is the issue to be resolved in this case. The trial court held in the affirmative, granting appellees’ motion for summary-judgment. The record construed in the light most favorable to the party resisting summary judgment, the appellant, discloses that on July 27, 1966, 13 year-old Cheryl Adams was a passenger in an automobile which collided with another automobile driven by Kris Burwell. At the time of the accident the Burwell vehicle was racing on East 5th Street in Tucson, Arizona, with the automobile operated by appellee Matt Dion.

As a result of the accident Cheryl Adams suffered a severe head injury, permament brain damage, and is now a helpless invalid requiring constant attention by her parents. As of January 12, 1972, her medical expenses have been in the sum of $11,016.10 and it may be necessary for her to be hospitalized in the future.

Cheryl's father was appointed guardian of her person and estate. On February 17, 1967, her guardian was authorized by the court to compromise her claim against Kris Burwell and his parents for the sum of $50,000 and upon receipt of the sum to execute a release releasing the Burwells for any and all liability arising out of the accident. The $50,000 was paid to the guardian and a general release was executed without expressly reserving any rights against the appellees Dion.

On July 20, 1971, this action was filed by appellant against appellees alleging negligence on the part of Matt Dion in the operation of the vehicle he was driving and further alleging liability on the part of his father, William Dion, under the family car doctrine.

Appellees answered the complaint alleging, inter alia, the affirmative defense of release. Appellees moved for summary [70]*70judgment' contending that the release of the Burwells also released them by virtue of the doctrine that the release of one joint tort-feasor releases all joint-feasors. Appellant opposed the motion on the ground that a release of one joint tort-fea-sor does not release all of them unless the person executing the release so intends. Attached to appellant's opposition to the motion for summary judgment was the affidavit of Cheryl’s guardian stating, in part, that when he executed the release he never intended to release anyone other than the Burwells; that he was never told that if he signed the release he would be releasing any other persons; and that his understanding of the document was that it released only the Burwells and their insurers.

Appellant further resisted the motion for summary judgment on the ground that the court order authorizing the compromise only gave him the authority to compromise with and release the Burwells and no other persons.

The trial court ruled that as a matter of law the release acted as a release as to the appellees since they were joint tort-feasors and granted summary judgment in favor of the appellees and against appellant.

Appellant presents two questions for review to this court which are in essence: (1) Does the release of one joint tort-fea-sor release all other joint tort-feasors regardless of the intent of the parties, and (2) if so, could the release in this case operate to release appellees when the court only authorized the execution of a release in favor of the Burwells ?

There are few common law rules as anachronistic and senseless as the rule that the release of one joint tort-feasor releases all joint tort-feasors. The rule has been justly condemned by legal commentators. See, W. Prosser, The Law of Torts § 49 (4th ed. 1971) ; 1 F. Harper & F. James, The Law of Torts § 10.1 (1956), pp. 709-714, and was soundly thrashed by Justice Rutledge in McKenna v. Austin, 77 U.S. App.D.C. 228, 134 F.2d 659 (1943). In 1923, Dean Wigmore referred to the release rule as a surviving relic which was based on false logic and although accepted by many courts, was fortunately being repudiated in some states by judicial decision and in others by legislative action. See, Wigmore, “Release of One Joint Tort-Fea-sor”, 17 Ill.L.Rev. 563 (1923).

Under the common law rule the release applies to all joint tort-feasors, even though it was not the intention of the parties, the reason being that the cause of action which is one and indivisible, having been released, all persons otherwise liable thereto are consequently released. This rule is described in Adolph Gottscho, Inc. v. American Marking Corp., 18 N.J. 467, 114 A.2d 438 (1955) as being a rather metaphysical approach which finds little acceptance in modern times. It was further noted that recent decisions have sought to rest the doctrine on the equitable basis that there may be but a single satisfaction for a wrong and to confine it accordingly.

In McKenna v. Austin, supra, 134 F.2d at p. 662, Justice Rutledge comments:

“The rule’s results are incongruous. More often than otherwise they are unjust and unintended. Wrongdoers who do not make or share in making reparation are discharged, while one willing to right the wrong and no more guilty bears the whole loss, [footnote omitted] Compromise is stifled, first, by inviting all to wait for the others to settle and, second, because claimants cannot accept less than full indemnity from one when doing that discharges all. Many, not knowing this, accept less only to find lat» er they have walked into a trap. The rule shortchanges the claimant or overcharges the person who settles, as the recurring volume and pattern of litigation show. Finally, it is anomalous in legal theory, giving tort-feasors an advantage wholly inconsistent with the nature of their liability.”

[71]*71The rationale for rejecting the common law rule is forthrightly stated in Breen v. Peck, 28 N.J. 351, 146 A.2d 665 (1958):

“When A has a tort claim against both B and C, there is nothing which forbids him from dealing individually with B or C. If B or C pays A’s claim in full, then A clearly has no further recourse against B or C for he has received full satisfaction and may not justly claim any more. But if B or C wants to compromise with A by giving only partial compensation, there is no reason why A should not be permitted to accept it and legally discharge his claim against the partial payor while proceeding with his claim for the balance against the other tortfeasor; indeed the law affirmatively favors such compromises. See Judson v. Peoples Bank & Trust Co., supra, 25 N. J. [17] at page 35, 134 A.2d [761] at page 770. And if A executes a release running in favor of the partial payor alone, there is no basis, in policy or justice, for giving the release the legal effect of discharging the other wrongdoer, who paid nothing and was a total stranger to the release, unless that was the intention of the parties to the release.”

In rejecting the application of the common law rule in modern times Prosser notes that the fear of double recovery is meaningless since the amount paid under the release itself must in any event be credited to the joint tort-feasor. See, W. Prosser, The Law of Torts, supra, p. 302. See also, Riexinger v. Ashton Company, 9 Ariz.App. 406, 453 P.2d 235 (1969).

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504 P.2d 1292, 19 Ariz. App. 69, 1973 Ariz. App. LEXIS 439, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/adams-v-dion-arizctapp-1973.