Martin v. Michigan

341 N.W.2d 239, 129 Mich. App. 100
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedSeptember 26, 1983
DocketDocket 64357
StatusPublished
Cited by37 cases

This text of 341 N.W.2d 239 (Martin v. Michigan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Martin v. Michigan, 341 N.W.2d 239, 129 Mich. App. 100 (Mich. Ct. App. 1983).

Opinions

R. L. Tahvonen, J.

Plaintiff appeals as of right from a trial court order granting defendant summary judgment under GCR 1963, 117.2(1). We affirm.

On April 23, 1980, plaintiff was a voluntary patient at the Michigan Institute of Mental Health in Dimondale. Between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. on that day, plaintiff, while sleeping, was struck over the head with a chair or table by another patient who had been assigned to share plaintiff’s room. On April 23, 1981, plaintiff’s mother, Pauline Martin, filed suit on behalf of plaintiff, seeking damages for the injuries plaintiff sustained as a result of the attack. Count I of the complaint was based on negligence. Court II was based on an alleged breach of defendant’s statutory duties. MCL 330.1708; MSA 14.800(708).

On June 26, 1981, defendant moved for summary judgment based on the governmental immunity statute. MCL 691.1407; MSA 3.996(107). Thereafter, plaintiff amended his complaint to add a count alleging that the "acts and failure to act on the part of defendant constitute the creation and maintenance of a nuisance, either per se, or in fact”. The acts and omissions which plaintiff claimed to have constituted the creation and maintenance of the nuisance were specified in the complaint as follows:

"a) Failed to screen residents for known violent behavior patterns.
"b) Failed to separate residents with violent behavior patterns from other residents and, in particular, placed an individual with known violent behavior patterns in [104]*104the room with plaintiff as set forth in the above counts and paragraphs.
"c) Failed to provide adequate staff and personnel for the supervision of patients.
"d) Failed to provide a safe and secure living environment within said facility.
"e) Failed to warn voluntary residents of the dangers peculiar to the facility.
"f) Failed to provide constant supervision of the residents with known violent behavior patterns.
"g) Having knowledge of the fact that an inadequate staff existed to properly supervise residents in the facility, failed to safeguard the residents’ well-being by securing additional personnel.”

At the hearing on the motion for summary judgment, defendant argued that, although plaintiff had pled a claim for nuisance so as to avoid the defense of governmental immunity, plaintiff’s action was still barred by governmental immunity because the nuisance claim was based on allegations of mere negligence. At the close of the hearing, the trial judge ruled as follows:

"The court has reviewed the matter and frankly the only sum and substance it really sees in the complaint as filed sounds in negligence. The procedural aspects and so on I don’t think is subject to the attack of they just were set up that way to be a negligent nuisance, and that’s the way it was intended to operate. I am sorry, but I cannot see the validity in the particular argument. Motion for summary judgment is granted.”

The only question presented is whether the trial court erred in granting defendant summary judgment based on governmental immunity.

In passing upon a motion for summary judgment based on GCR 1963, 117.2(1), the trial court must accept as true all of the plaintiff’s factual allega[105]*105tions as well as any conclusions which can reasonably be drawn therefrom and determine whether the plaintiffs claim, on the pleadings, is so clearly unenforceable as a matter of law that no factual development can justify a right to recovery. Where immunity is involved, the complaint must plead facts in avoidance of immunity. Armstrong v Ross Twp, 82 Mich App 77, 82; 266 NW2d 674 (1978).

Although the common-law doctrine of governmental immunity has been abrogated, Pittman v City of Taylor, 398 Mich 41, 45-49; 247 NW2d 512 (1976), general immunity from tort liability is provided for by statute:

"Except as in this act otherwise provided, all governmental agencies shall be immune from tort liability in all cases wherein the government agency is engaged in the exercise or discharge of a governmental function. Except as otherwise provided herein, this act shall not be construed as modifying or restricting the immunity of the state from tort liability as it existed heretofore, which immunity is affirmed.” MCL 691.1407; MSA 3.996(107).

Three principal tests have emerged for determining whether a particular activity is a governmental function. Justices Williams and Ryan and former Chief Justice Coleman have favored the "common good of all” test. If the act is for the common good of all without the element of special corporate benefit or pecuniary profit, there is no liability flowing from the activity. Ross v Consumers Power Co, 415 Mich 1; 327 NW2d 293 (1982).

The second test is the "essence of governing” test as employed by Justices Kavanagh and Levin and former Justice Fitzgerald. Justices Kavanagh, Levin, and Fitzgerald would give protection to only those activities which have no analogy [106]*106in the private sector but are sui generis governmental — of essence to governing.

The third test is the "essence of governing” test as understood and expressed by the late Justice Moody.

"[T]he crux of the governmental essence test should be founded upon the inquiry whether the purpose, planning and carrying out of the activity, due to its unique character or governmental mandate, can be effectively accomplished only by the government. Unless liability would be an unacceptable interference with the government’s ability to govern, activities that fall outside this perimeter, although performed by a governmental agency, are not governmental functions and therefore not immune.” Parker v Highland Park, 404 Mich 183, 200; 273 NW2d 413 (1978).

In Perry v Kalamazoo State Hospital, 404 Mich 205; 273 NW2d 421 (1978), Justices Kavanagh, Fitzgerald, and Levin found that, because the operation of a state mental hospital is not an activity which can be performed only by the government, it is not a governmental function and, therefore, tort actions arising from the negligent operation of a state mental hospital are not barred by governmental immunity. 404 Mich 215. Applying the "common good of all” test, Justices Williams, Coleman, and Ryan found that the operation of the state mental hospital was a government function and, therefore, that the hospital was immune from suit. 404 Mich 210-213.

The deciding vote in Perry, supra, was cast by Justice Moody who, relying on the mandate of Const 1963, art 8, §8, and MCL 330.1116; MSA 14.800(116) declaring that "services for the care, treatment or rehabilitation of those who are seriously mentally handicapped shall always be fostered and supported”, found that public mental [107]*107health hospitals perform an essentially unique activity required by legislative action which could effectively only be accomplished by the government. Accordingly, Justice Moody ruled that the state mental hospital was entitled to immunity. 404 Mich 214.

In the present case, relying on the dissenting opinion in Perry, supra, plaintiff argues that the operation of the Michigan Institute of Mental Health is not a governmental function. This argument must be rejected.

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Bluebook (online)
341 N.W.2d 239, 129 Mich. App. 100, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/martin-v-michigan-michctapp-1983.