Masten v. State

626 A.2d 838, 1991 Del. Super. LEXIS 519
CourtSuperior Court of Delaware
DecidedDecember 9, 1991
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 626 A.2d 838 (Masten v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Masten v. State, 626 A.2d 838, 1991 Del. Super. LEXIS 519 (Del. Ct. App. 1991).

Opinion

OPINION

HERLIHY, Judge.

Presently before the Court are cross-motions for summary judgment. The issue in these motions is whether or not the State of Delaware [State] waived sovereign immunity in connection with the operation of the Ferris School. Kenneth Masten [Mas-ten] claims there has been a waiver and that the State is liable to him. The State argues that there has been no waiver, consequently there is no liability.

BACKGROUND

On October 20, 1979, Masten was a resident of Ferris School which is basically a detention center for male juvenile delinquents. On that date, Masten alleges he and some other minors were left unsupervised in a locked recreation room. Two of the minors are claimed to have started a fight when a object was thrown, striking Masten in the left eye causing permanent blindness.

Masten filed his claim in this Court on June 5, 1981. The State moved to dismiss on the grounds of sovereign immunity and this Court granted Masten’s request to certify the issues to the Supreme Court. In a decision dated August 20, 1981, the Supreme Court declined to accept certification. Thereafter, briefing on the State’s motion was completed and this Court granted the State’s motion. Masten v. State, Del.Super., C.A. No. 81C-JN-40, Stiftel, P.J. (August 31, 1983). Masten appealed that decision to the Supreme Court. [839]*839That appeal was stayed until this Court’s decision in a companion case, Doe v. Cates, Del.Super., 79M-MR-1. Ultimately, the Supreme Court consolidated the appeals in this case, Doe and three other cases.

In Doe v. Cates, Del.Supr., 499 A.2d 1175 (1985), the Supreme Court affirmed this Court’s decision in four cases. The Supreme Court said the issue in all five cases was basically the same: “Does the State of Delaware continue to have the right to assert its sovereign immunity as a valid defense to a tort action brought against the State were the State has failed to provide itself with insurance protection?” Doe, 499 A.2d at 1176. The Supreme Court answered its question by holding that the State did have a right to assert sovereign immunity. Id. at 1181-82. It did note, however, that Masten raised two claims not raised by the other four plaintiffs. One was whether the State had obtained insurance for its operation of Ferris School. The Court noted that Masten had sought, but this Court did not give, the opportunity for discovery on this issue. Id. at 1183. Masten’s other unique claim was:

[T]hat the State has specifically waived sovereign immunity with respect to its operation of Ferris School because of the legislation under which the school was taken over by the State, the charter of the school, and the trust established under the will of John Ferris.

Doe, 499 A.2d at 1183. The Court noted that Masten had not raised this claim in this Court and remanded Masten for further proceedings on both issues. Doe, 499 A.2d at 1183-84.

Further discovery was undertaken upon remand, albeit at a leisurely pace. Ultimately this case was specially assigned to this judge who requested in 1990 a status report from counsel. Thereafter, Masten renewed his motion for summary judgment and the State filed its cross-motion for summary judgment.

Masten raises several arguments why the State has waived sovereign immunity. First, he argues that the original corporation set up to operate Ferris School was authorized by the General Assembly to sue and be sued. When the State took over Ferris School, it accepted those powers. Second, Masten argues the juveniles at Ferris School are trust beneficiaries and are contractually able to bring suit. Third, Masten claims that the State does not have insurance for Ferris School residents but does have insurance for adult inmates and public school children. This, he contends, violates his right to equal protection and, therefore, he should be entitled to recover.

The State counters by saying there has been no waiver, the right to sue and be sued was not “assumed” by the State and statutory and constitutional authority make it immune. It contends Masten raises the beneficiary claim for the first time and that it comes too late. The State also argues that Masten’s equal protection argument was rejected by the Supreme Court in Doe1.

Because the Court finds that the State has waived immunity in its operations of Ferris, it is unnecessary to reach the bab anee of the parties’ contentions.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

When cross-motions for summary judgment are filed, as here, the Court must consider whether there is a genuine issue of material fact presented. State ex rel Mitchell v. Wolcott, Del.Supr., 83 A.2d 759 (1951). Only where no such issues of fact exist and one of the moving parties is entitled to judgment as a matter of law may the Court grant one of the motions. Empire of America v. Commercial Credit, Del.Supr., 551 A.2d 433 (1988).

FACTS

In a will dated March 20, 1874, John Ferris established a trust in the residuary clause with his cousin Dr. Caleb Harlan as trustee. The purpose of the trust was:

[F]or the benefit of any of the necessitous portion of the human family that may come to his knowledge, either directly or indirectly by the agency of such
[840]*840institution as he may select, hereby giving him full authority, to use the same as he may deem best.... I might suggest that the application of said residue, or a portion thereof to and in establishing what is known mostly as a House of Refuge or a place for bettering wayward juveniles, would have my approval, should there be a probability of having established in this vicinity in reasonable time, such an institution....

Pollock v. Peterson, Del.Ch. 271 A.2d 45, 46 (1970).

In 1883 Dr. Harlan purchased 190 acres of land to carry out the wishes of Mr. Ferris. Pollock, 271 A.2d at 47. That land is the site of the current Ferris School and other youth detention facilities. In 1885, the General Assembly incorporated the Ferris Reform School. 17 Del.Laws, Ch. 495. Dr. Harlan was one of the [injcorpo-rators. Id. at § 1. Under the Delaware Constitution of 1831, the legislature passed acts of incorporation. Article II, § 17.

Among the powers conferred upon the corporators were the powers “to sue and be sued, implead and be impleaded in all courts of law and equity”. Id. at § 1. The act of incorporation provided for a board of twenty-one managers who would manage the “estate and concerns of said corporation”. Id. at § 3.

In 1889 the General Assembly amended the name of the prior corporation to the Ferris Industrial School. 18 Del.Laws, Ch. 546.

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Bluebook (online)
626 A.2d 838, 1991 Del. Super. LEXIS 519, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/masten-v-state-delsuperct-1991.