Moorhead v. Waelde

499 So. 2d 387, 1986 La. App. LEXIS 8254
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 14, 1986
DocketNo. CA-5249
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 499 So. 2d 387 (Moorhead v. Waelde) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Moorhead v. Waelde, 499 So. 2d 387, 1986 La. App. LEXIS 8254 (La. Ct. App. 1986).

Opinion

LOBRANO, Judge.

On March 4,1985, Marshall C. Moorhead, on behalf of his minor daughter, Helen, filed suit against Elton C. Waelde, in his capacity as administrator of his minor son, Paul, and against Elton’s home owner insurer, State Farm. The basis of the claim was the alleged sexual abuse of Helen by Paul.1

In response thereto, Elton, as administrator for Paul, Paul, individually, and his mother Joan, filed an answer and reconven-tional demand, and third party demand against Mary Moorhead, the mother of Helen. They allege that Mary sexually abused Paul for approximately 18 months while he was a minor. The third party demand also named Mary’s employer, the YMCA, as a defendant under the doctrine of “responde-at superior”.

A subsequent third party demand was filed by Elton, as administrator, and State Farm against the YMCA and Mary seeking indemnity and/or contribution.

The plaintiff amended its petition naming Elton, individually. In response, Elton, individually third partied the YMCA and Mary on the same grounds as his previous third party demand filed as administrator.

Faced with various exceptions of prescription and no cause of action, the trial judge dismissed the reconventional demand of Paul, Joan and Elton on prescription; he also dismissed the third party demands against the YMCA and Mary on prescription, and in so doing, dismissed the no cause of action exception of the YMCA and Mary as being moot; finally, he upheld the no right of action exception as to Elton, in his capacity as administrator.

Elton Waelde and State Farm appeal.

[389]*389We have sifted through this procedural maze and determine that the only issues before the Court are: (1) whether the exceptions of prescription filed on behalf of Mary Moorhead and YMCA to third party demands of Elton and State Farm were properly maintained; and if not, (2) did the trial court err in failing to consider the exceptions of no cause of action filed by Mary Moorhead and the YMCA to the various third party demands.

At the outset, we point out that Paul became a major on December 30, 1984. Therefore he was competent to sue and be sued on his own behalf at the time this litigation began on March 4,1985. We also point out that neither Paul nor his mother, Joan have appealed any of the lower court’s actions, and therefore as to those parties the judgment is final. Even though Elton and State Farm argue various issues in their brief relating to the reconventional demand of Paul, we do not consider those since the judgment as to Paul is final.

The trial court held that prescription barred any third party claim by Elton and State Farm against the YMCA and Mary. The record is clear that the last sexual activity between Paul and Mary occurred in November of 1983. The principal demand in this suit was filed March 4,1985, and the third party claims filed in March and June of 1985. Clearly more than one year has passed since the last activity occurred upon which they (appellants) seek damages from Mary and the YMCA. However, they argue that their claim is not for tort damages but for indemnity and/or contribution. In such a case prescription does not begin to run until the party seeking indemnification is cast in judgment. We agree with that legal principle. McKneely v. Don Coleman Const. Co., Inc., 441 So.2d 497 (La.App. 2nd Cir.1983); Blue Streak Enterprises v. Gulf Coast Marine, 370 So.2d 633 (La.App. 4th Cir.1979). However, we must determine if the third party claims do in fact state an action for indemnification and/or contribution. This was not considered by the trial court since the claims were dismissed on a prescriptive basis.

Appellants contention is that, if they are responsible for any damages to Helen as a result of Paul’s misconduct, then they are entitled to indemnity or contribution because Mary’s affair with Paul was the sole proximate cause of the tort committed by Paul, or, at least a joint proximate cause.

Contribution among joint tort feasors is authorized by Civil Code Article 1805, which provides:

“A party sued on an obligation that would be solidary if it exists may seek to enforce contribution against any solidary co-obligor by making him a third party defendant according to the rules of procedure, whether or not that third party has been initially sued, and whether the party seeking to enforce contribution admits or denies liability on the obligation alleged by plaintiff.”

Indemnity in Louisiana shifts the entire loss from a tort feasor only technically or passively at fault to one primarily or actively responsible. In Hebert v. Blankenship, 187 So.2d 798 (La.App. 3rd Cir.1966) the Court stated:

“As the doctrine exists in Louisiana, the right to indemnity from the person primarily negligent exists only in favor of one who is vicariously liable for the damages caused because of merely technical or constructive fault. Id. at 80S.

The plaintiff in this case seeks damages because of the alleged sexual abuse of Helen by Paul. Elton is a defendant because he is responsible for the acts his son committed while he was a minor. La.C.C. Art. 2318. State Farm is a defendant as the home owner insurer of Elton. Their claim for contribution and/or indemnity alleges that Mary’s sexual conduct with Paul was, at least, a contributing cause of Paul’s actions toward Helen.

The plea of no cause of action must be decided on the face of the pleadings. We conclude that the third party demands do not state a cause of action for indemnity. There is no allegation, nor could there be, that Paul (and hence Elton and State Farm) is only vicariously liable or [390]*390passively at fault, and that Mary and the YMCA are the active tort feasors. Considering the basic allegations made by plaintiff in her original demand against Paul, any third party allegations claiming Paul was passively at fault would be ludicrous.

However, we do find that a cause of action for contribution is stated. The allegation that Mary’s actions, and/or the YMCA’s “negligent hiring” and “supervision failure” contributed to the ultimate tort seeks to hold them as joint tortfeasors with Paul. We do not imply that these allegations can or cannot be proven, but only that they are sufficient to state a cause of action.

For the reasons stated, we reverse the trial court and hold that the third party demands of Elton Waelde and State Farm do not state a cause of action for indemnification, but do state a cause of action for contribution, and that that cause of action has not prescribed.

REVERSED AND REMANDED.

APPENDIX

MARSHALL C. MOORHEAD, ET AL

VERSUS

ELTON C. WAELDE, ET AL

NUMBER 85-3610

CIVIL DISTRICT COURT FOR THE PARISH OF ORLEANS

STATE OF LOUISIANA

DIVISION "K”

ANSWER TO AMENDED PETITION AND THIRD PARTY DEMAND

NOW INTO COURT, through undersigned counsel, come Elton C. Waelde, individually and as administrator of his minor child, Paul Waelde and State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, defendants herein, who in answer to the Amended Petition of plaintiffs, do aver as follows:

1.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
499 So. 2d 387, 1986 La. App. LEXIS 8254, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/moorhead-v-waelde-lactapp-1986.