Cowe Ex Rel. Cowe v. Forum Group, Inc.

541 N.E.2d 962, 1989 Ind. App. LEXIS 743, 1989 WL 86627
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 2, 1989
Docket41A04-8810-CV-332
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 541 N.E.2d 962 (Cowe Ex Rel. Cowe v. Forum Group, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cowe Ex Rel. Cowe v. Forum Group, Inc., 541 N.E.2d 962, 1989 Ind. App. LEXIS 743, 1989 WL 86627 (Ind. Ct. App. 1989).

Opinions

[964]*964CHEZEM, Judge.

Case Summary

Appellant Jacob Cowe, appeals the granting of appellee’s, Forum Group, Inc’s., motion for summary judgment on Issue IV of his complaint.

We reverse.

Issue

I. Whether there was a genuine issue of material fact regarding the liability of Forum Group for the support of Jacob Cowe or for the failure to provide prenatal care of Jacob Cowe.

Facts

Melanie Meredith is a profoundly retarded adult who is unable to speak and has no muscle control. She requires complete custodial care. During the relevant time, Melanie was a resident of and in the care of the Riverview Manor Nursing Home and was approximately 34 years old. River-view Manor is a private nursing home in Marion, Indiana, owned by Forum.

During July or August of 1985, Melanie conceived a child and on March 25, 1986, she delivered a son, Jacob E. Cowe. Jacob was subsequently adopted by Ann Cowe who is currently his parent and guardian.

Another resident of Riverview Manor, Wayne Anthony Morgan, admitted he had sexual intercourse with Melanie more than once during July or August of 1985. Wayne was charged with rape and subsequently pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the offense. Jacob contends that he is the son of Melanie and Wayne, however, Forum does not concede to such contention.

Jacob’s complaint originally contained six counts and included four plaintiffs: Melanie Meredith, Jacob E. Cowe, and Richard and Violet Meredith, Melanie’s parents. On February 8, 1988, Forum filed a motion for summary judgment against all plaintiffs and on May 10, 1988, the motion was granted against counts II-V and all plaintiffs, save Melanie.

Jacob filed a motion to correct errors for his claims which were in count IV of the complaint. The trial court denied his motion on September 8, 1988. Jacob now appeals that ruling.

Discussion

Jacob appeals count IV only; therefore, any arguments against summary judgment for counts II, III, and V are waived.

We note that, because the trial court did not grant Forum’s motion for summary judgment on count I of the complaint, count I survives for trial. Count I included Melanie’s prayer for relief due to Forum’s negligent care: failing to protect her from rape, sexual assault, battery, and abuse. Melanie seeks damages for physical injuries, hospital expenses incurred during her pregnancy, pain and suffering, and compensatory and punitive damages. Any damages possibly awarded to Melanie will in no way inure to Jacob.

When deciding whether summary judgment is appropriate the trial court must accept as true all facts alleged by the non-moving party and resolve all doubts against the moving party. To determine whether summary judgment is appropriate, we must decide whether any genuine issues of material fact exist and whether the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. Ind. Rules of Trial Procedure Rule 56(C); English Coal Co., Inc. v. Durcholz (1981), Ind.App., 422 N.E.2d 302. Also, “a defendant seeking summary judgment must demonstrate [that] the undisputed material facts negate at least one element of the plaintiff’s claim. This is true even where, as here, the plaintiff would have the burden of proof at trial.” McCullough v. Allen (1983), Ind.App., 449 N.E.2d 1168; Sanders v. Townsend (1987), Ind.App., 509 N.E.2d 860, 862. Therefore, once the nonmoving party, Jacob, has pleaded and alleged all the elements of his cause of action (as Jacob has done) the defendant and moving party, Forum, has the burden of setting forth evidence showing that at least one element of Jacob’s claim is undeniably nonexistent.

Neither Forum, as the moving party, nor Jacob, in resisting the motion for summary judgment, has filed supporting affidavits, depositions, answers to interrogatories, admissions, affidavits, or testimony. The par[965]*965ties are relying solely upon pleaded matters.

A fact is material for summary judgment purposes if it helps to prove or disprove an essential element of the plaintiffs’ cause of action. Delk v. Board of Com’rs. of Delaware County (1987), Ind.App., 503 N.E.2d 436. In reviewing a motion for summary judgment, we stand in the position of the trial court and consider the same matters. Moll v. South Central Solar Systems (1981), Ind.App., 419 N.E.2d 154.

With respect to the case at hand, Indiana Code 34-1-1-11 states that “no person shall maintain a cause of action or receive an award of damages on his behalf based on the claim that but for the negligent conduct of another he would have been aborted.” On first impression this statute seems to suggest that no wrongful life cause of action could exist for Jacob. However, a more accurate interpretation would be that to disallow Jacob’s cause of action, Jacob must be arguing that he would have or should have been aborted. Jacob is claiming no such thing. Rather, Jacob contends that but for Forum’s negligence he would not have been conceived. This is quite different than arguing that but for Forum’s negligence he would have been aborted. Now that he has been conceived and born, Jacob contends that Forum owes him damages for its negligent conduct.

Jacob’s claim is based on imputed paternity, wrongful life, negligence, and prenatal tort. Jacob argues that Forum is obligated to pay his support until he reaches 21 years of age. We note that if Jacob is allowed to recover support we would limit Jacob’s claim for support because Jacob has been legally adopted by Ann Cowe. Once Jacob was adopted, any and all responsibility for Jacob’s well-being, financial and otherwise, was laid upon the shoulders of Jacob’s adoptive parent. Indiana Code 31-3-1-9 makes this clear:

After such adoption such adopting father or mother or both ... shall be jointly and severally liable for the maintenance and education of such person. Id.

In addition, any responsibilities of the natural parents cease:

The natural parents of such adopted person ... shall after such adoption be relieved of all legal duties and obligations due from them to such person and shall be divested of all rights with respect to such person ...

Id. Therefore, if Jacob recovers support as damages, he may only recover support for the unspecified time between his birth and his adoption.

I

We find no merit to the claim of imputed paternity. The paternity of Jacob is not at issue; this is not a paternity action. The record does not reflect that a paternity action was previously instituted to establish Wayne as Jacob’s father. Wayne has no duty to support an illegitimate son unless and until his paternity is established by law. See, Farmer v. Minor (1986), Ind.App., 495 N.E.2d 553, 556.

II

Jacob’s second theory for relief is a wrongful life action.

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Cowe Ex Rel. Cowe v. Forum Group, Inc.
541 N.E.2d 962 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1989)

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541 N.E.2d 962, 1989 Ind. App. LEXIS 743, 1989 WL 86627, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cowe-ex-rel-cowe-v-forum-group-inc-indctapp-1989.