Smith v. Ralph

248 N.E.2d 208, 18 Ohio App. 2d 235, 47 Ohio Op. 2d 362, 1969 Ohio App. LEXIS 623
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 3, 1969
Docket9328
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 248 N.E.2d 208 (Smith v. Ralph) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Smith v. Ralph, 248 N.E.2d 208, 18 Ohio App. 2d 235, 47 Ohio Op. 2d 362, 1969 Ohio App. LEXIS 623 (Ohio Ct. App. 1969).

Opinion

Holmes, J.

This is an appeal from an order of the Common Pleas Court of Franklin County overruling the motion of plaintiff, appellant herein, for a substitution of parties defendant and a dismissal of an action for damages.

The specific question presented is whether a tort action rightly brought by the injured party against the tort-, feasor may, after the death of such tort-feasor, proceed as against the personal representative of the deceased tortfeasor in the absence of a revivor of such action pursuant to Section 2311.31, Revised Code, and in the absence of a presentment of a claim to the administrator pursuant, to Section 2117.06 or 2117.07, Revised Code.

The agreed facts in this case show that the auto *236 mobile accident which gave rise to the original damage action occurred on January 14, 1965. On December 29, 1966, the plaintiff, George E. Smith, filed an action against the defendant, appellee herein, Robert E. Ralph, now deceased, seeking a recovery for the injuries sustained by plaintiff as a result of the accident. -

On January 18, 1967, the defendant, Ralph, duly filed his answer in such action.

On September 3,1967, the defendant, Ralph, died.? On November 9, 1967, the deceased’s wife, Bertha Y; Ralph, was appointed administratrix of his estate. • On November 13,1967, the plaintiff, through his counsel, was informed of the estate administration, and of the appointment of the administratrix. . . .. .. .o

• Nothing further transpired until September 16, 1968, when the plaintiff filed a motion in the damage action seeking the substitution of the administratrix of the estate of Robert E. Ralph as the party defendant.

On September 23, 1968, the defendant filed a motion seeking an order dismissing the case for failure to comply with the provisions of Section 2311.31, Revised Code, which section deals with revivor of actions.

' The Common Pleas Court overruled plaintiff’s motion for a substitution of parties, sustained the defendant’s; motion, and ordered the case dismissed. The plaintiff thereupon, appealed to this court. -;

. The assignment of error is singularly ¿s follows: ,

“The trial court committed error prejudicial to plain,-, tiff-appellant in sustaining the motion filed by defendant!-, appellee, and ordering, the case dismissed for the reason that plaintiff-appellant was not required to present a claim., in accordance with the provisions of Section 2117.06, Re-! vised Code, where he was seeking recovery from defendant-, appellee’s .insurance policy exclusively.” , , 7

This, court!-agrees with the plaintiff that it was.^uqt necessary for. him to jhave presented a claim, in accordance, with Section 2117,06, Revised . Code, but we do mot agree* that there was error committed by the lower .court Wsús-’ taining the defendant’s mótion to dismiss.

*237 Basically, the following sections of the Bevised Code are dispositive of the instant case:

Section 2311.25. “If before judgment, one of the parties to an action dies, or his powers as a personal representative cease, but the right of action survives in favor of or against his representatives or successors, the action may be revived and the action proceed in the name of such representatives or successors.”

Section 2311.31. “Upon the death of a defendant in an action wherein the right, or any part of it, survives against his personal representative, the revivor shall be against him. The attorney of record for the defendant in any action commenced prior to the death of such defendant and pending on the date of death in a court of record in this state, if he has actual knowledge of the death of such defendant, shall file a notice of death in the pending action stating the fact of death and the date of its occurrence. Such notice shall be filed within ten days after the attorney acquires such actual knowledge of the defendant’s death and a copy of the notice shall be served upon the attorney of record for the plaintiff. An action for the recovery of money pending at the death of the defendant shall not be revived against the executor or administrator as provided in Sections 2311.21 to 2311.37, inclusive, of the Bevised Code, unless written notice of the application or proceedings for such revivor is given to the executor or administrator within the time provided for the presentation of claims by creditors in Section 2117.06 of the Bevised Code. # * *))

Section 2117.06. “All creditors having claims against an estate shall present their claims to the executor or administrator in writing, including claims arising out of contract, out of tort, on cognovit notes, or on judgments, whether due or not due, secured or unsecured, liquidated or unliquidated. All claims shall be presented within four months after the date of the appointment of the executor or administrator # *

In this case we are dealing with a type of action which does not abate at the death of one of the parties. Such *238 pending action retains its validity and is not quashed or destroyed by the death of such party.

However, although such action is not quashed by the death of such party, Ohio law mandates that certain things be done in order that such action might proceed to the merits of the matter as against that party who represents the interests of the deceased.

Pursuant to Section 2311.25, Revised Code, if one of the sole parties dies and the right of action survives, the action may be revived and proceed in the name of the decedent’s representative or successor in interest.

Such revivor, under the Code, may be effected by motion or supplemental pleading pursuant to Section 2311.26, Revised Code, or by conditional order, pursuant to Section 2311.27, Revised Code.

In any proceeding where an action is sought to be revived, it must be done in one of the ways specifically provided by statute. And unless the statutory provisions are followed, any such pending action has no force and effect.

As stated in 1 Ohio Jurisprudence 2d on Abatement, Survival, and Revival, Section 54, at page 76:

“While in the case of the death of one of several parties plaintiff or defendant an action may proceed provided that fact is stated of record, it is necessary, if the sole plaintiff or defendant dies before judgment, that the action be revived in the name of the representative or successor in interest, by some one of the methods of revivor authorized by the Code, before the case can properly be continued and a binding judgment rendered. Upon the death of a party to a pending action, that action dies for the time being, until galvanized into life by the proper proceedings, which will substitute the proper party in place of the deceased party. The law provides for no automatic successor in case of death. * * *”

Section 2311.31, Revised Code, provides that upon the death of a defendant in an action wherein the right, or any part of it, survives against his personal representative, the revivor shall be against him.

*239

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
248 N.E.2d 208, 18 Ohio App. 2d 235, 47 Ohio Op. 2d 362, 1969 Ohio App. LEXIS 623, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/smith-v-ralph-ohioctapp-1969.