Case Title: Kaczor v. City of Minot

Citation: 138 N.W.2d 784

Docket Number: 

State: north-dakota

Court: North Dakota Supreme Court

Date: 1965-12-17T00:00:00Z

Document:
138 N.W.2d 784 (1965) Joe KACZOR and Judith Kaczor, by her Guardian ad Litem, Joe Kaczor, Plaintiffs and Appellants, v. CITY OF MINOT, a Municipal Corporation, Defendant and Respondent. No. 8274. Supreme Court of North Dakota. December 17, 1965. Ella Van Berkom, Minot, for plaintiffs and appellants. Bosard, McCutcheon & Coyne, Minot, for defendant and respondent. KNUDSON, Judge. The plaintiff Judith Kaczor, a minor, brings this action by her father, as guardian ad litem, against the City of Minot for personal injuries resulting from the alleged negligent operation of the city dump by the defendant. The trial court dismissed the plaintiffs' complaint on the ground that the defendant was not liable for the wrongful acts or omissions occurring while engaged in the operation of its sanitary landfill and dump, holding that the removal of garbage by the defendant is a governmental function. From the judgment entered on the order of dismissal, the plaintiffs have appealed to this court. Following the case of Fetzer v. Minot Park District, N.D., 138 N.W.2d 601, recently decided by this court, a municipal corporation is not liable for injuries caused by the negligence of its officers and employees while acting in a governmental function. This court has held that the disposal of garbage by a municipality is a governmental function in Montain v. City of Fargo, 38 N.D. 432, 166 N.W. 416, L.R.A. 1918C, 600, Ann.Cas.1918D, 826, wherein we said: And in the syllabus to Moulton v. City of Fargo, 39 N.D. 502, 167 N.W. 717, L.R.A.1918D, 1108, we held: These cases are cited as being in accord with the weight of authority that the disposition or removal of garbage and refuse constitutes a governmental function in 38 Am.Jur., Municipal Corporations, § 614, p. 311, wherein it is stated: If it is desirable to change this rule of law, which is well settled in this State, the request for such change should be addressed to the Legislative Assembly. The judgment of the district court is affirmed. BURKE, C. J., and ERICKSTAD, STRUTZ and TEIGEN, JJ., concur.