Schmidt v. Mt. Angel Abbey

223 P.3d 399, 347 Or. 389, 2009 Ore. LEXIS 1016
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 24, 2009
DocketCC 020403531; CA A124850; SC S056261
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 223 P.3d 399 (Schmidt v. Mt. Angel Abbey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Schmidt v. Mt. Angel Abbey, 223 P.3d 399, 347 Or. 389, 2009 Ore. LEXIS 1016 (Or. 2009).

Opinions

[392]*392BALMER, J.

This tort action requires us to consider the proper interpretation of the terms “sexual exploitation” and “cruelty” as used in ORS 12.117, which extends the statute of limitations for certain tort actions. Plaintiffs complaint alleges that, while plaintiff was a student at Mt. Angel Seminary, a priest questioned plaintiff about sexuality and reproduction and began masturbating under his cassock while plaintiff was present. Plaintiff averred that the priest’s actions constituted a tort and caused him physical and emotional harm, and, for present purposes, defendant does not dispute those allegations. Defendant, however, moved for summary judgment, arguing that plaintiffs claim was time-barred and that ORS 12.117 did not extend the statute of limitations because the priest’s alleged conduct was neither “sexual exploitation” nor “cruelty” within the meaning of that statute. The trial court agreed and granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment. Plaintiff appealed, and the Court of Appeals affirmed. Schmidt v. Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, 218 Or App 661, 180 P3d 160 (2008). For the reasons set out below, we reverse the decision of the Court of Appeals and remand the case to that court for further proceedings.

Because this case comes to us on summary judgment, we view the facts and all reasonable inferences that may be drawn from those facts in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party — here, plaintiff. See Oregon Steel Mills, Inc. v. Coopers & Lybrand, LLP, 336 Or 329, 332, 83 P3d 322 (2004) (stating standard). In 1958, when plaintiff was a high school freshman at Mt. Angel Seminary, Father Charvet— plaintiffs freshman advisor — asked plaintiff to meet Charvet in his office at a specific time. When plaintiff arrived, Charvet was sitting behind his desk and told plaintiff to stand in front of the desk. Charvet then began questioning plaintiff as to what he knew about sexuality and reproduction. Among other things, Charvet asked plaintiff whether he had ever masturbated and explained to plaintiff “what that was about.” At that point, Charvet became “less technical” and began using “street or gutter talk as opposed to clinical [terms].” During Charvet’s questioning, plaintiff “could see that there was a lot of motion going on under his cassock,” and, according to plaintiff, it was “pretty obvious” that [393]*393Charvet was masturbating. Although Charvet never instructed plaintiff to remain in the room, plaintiff stated that his training as a student in the seminary prevented him from leaving and that he “felt in a locked situation.” The incident lasted approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

In 2002, plaintiff filed this action against Charvet and Mt. Angel Abbey, Charvet’s employer, seeking damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress and for breach of a fiduciary duty.1 As noted, defendant moved for summary judgment, arguing that plaintiffs action was barred by the statute of limitations. Defendant argued that ORS 12.117(1),2 which extends the statute of limitations for tort actions based on conduct that constitutes “child abuse,” did not apply because Charvet’s alleged conduct was not “child abuse” within the meaning of that statute.3 Plaintiff [394]*394responded that Charvet’s conduct fell within two examples of child abuse enumerated in ORS 12.117(2).4 Plaintiff argued that the conduct was covered by ORS 12.117(2)(a)(B), which defines as child abuse any “[i]ntentional conduct by an adult that results in * * * [a]ny mental injury to a child which results in observable and substantial impairment of the child’s mental or psychological ability to function caused by cruelty to the child, with due regard to the culture of the child.” (Emphasis added.) Plaintiff also argued that Charvet’s conduct came within ORS 12.117(2)(d), which provides that child abuse includes

“[sjexual exploitation of a child, including but not limited to:
“(A) Conduct constituting [a] violation of ORS 163.435 and any other conduct which allows, employs, authorizes, permits, induces or encourages a child to engage in the performing for people to observe or the photographing, filming, tape recording or other exhibition which, in whole or in part, depicts sexual conduct or contact; and
“(B) Allowing, permitting, encouraging or hiring a child to engage in prostitution, as defined in ORS chapter 167.”

[395]*395(Emphasis added.) The trial court agreed with defendant that Charvet’s actions did not come within either of those provisions and therefore did not constitute “child abuse” as defined in ORS 12.117. Accordingly, the trial court concluded that plaintiffs action was barred by the statute of limitations and granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment.

Plaintiff appealed, and the Court of Appeals affirmed, holding that the statute of limitations extension did not apply and that plaintiffs claims therefore were time-barred. The majority agreed with the trial court that Charvet’s actions did not constitute “cruelty” or “sexual exploitation” as those terms are used in ORS 12.117(2). Judge Edmonds dissented in part,5 concluding that Charvet’s conduct constituted “cruelty” under ORS 12.117(2)(a)(B). We begin with a discussion of whether a reasonable factfinder could find that Charvet’s conduct falls within the “cruelty” provision of ORS 12.117(2)(a)(B). We then consider whether a reasonable factfinder could find that Charvet’s conduct constitutes “sexual exploitation” under ORS 12.117(2)(d).

As noted, under ORS 12.117

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
223 P.3d 399, 347 Or. 389, 2009 Ore. LEXIS 1016, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/schmidt-v-mt-angel-abbey-or-2009.