Title: STEWART v. DRIESEL

State: oklahoma

Issuer: Oklahoma Supreme Court

Document:

STEWART v. DRIESEL  STEWART v. DRIESEL 2001 OK 102 72 OBJ 3503 Case Number: 96893 Decided: 11/26/2001 THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA JIMMY RAY STEWART, BLUE BELL CREAMERIES, L.P., and U.S. FIDELITY & GUARANTY COMPANY, Petitioners v. THE HONORABLE WILLARD DRIESEL, District Judge of the Seventeenth Judicial District, McCurtain County, State of Oklahoma, Respondent ORDER ¶0 This Court assumes original jurisdiction. Let the writ of mandamus issue. First, the respondent district judge in Shawn Farley, Plaintiff v. Jimmy Ray Stewart, and Blue Bell Creameries, L.P., and U.S. Fidelity & Guaranty Company, Case No. CJ-2001-134 is directed to dismiss U.S. Fidelity & Guaranty Company, the insurer of Blue Bell Creameries, Inc., common carrier, as a co-defendant in this direct action by an injured motorist against the alleged tortfeasor and his employer, Blue Bell Creameries, Inc. and the insurer of the employer's common carrier. In Daigle v. Hamilton, 1989 OK 137, 782 P.2d 1379 , 1383 this Court held: We have never before recognized the right of a plaintiff to bring a direct action against the insurer of an alleged tortfeasor absent statutory edict. We do not recognize this right now. ¶1 Secondly, because the Blue Bell Creameries, Inc., undeniably does business in McCurtain County, then venue is proper in McCurtain County under 12 O.S. 2001, §137. Moreover, 12 O.S. §143 provides: "no court shall apply one venue statute in preference to another whether considered general or special." Since the action is rightly brought in McCurtain County, a summons shall be issued to any other county against any co-defendant pursuant to 12 O.S. 1991 §154. ¶2 Third, the respondent district court did not abuse its discretion when it refused to dismiss pursuant to the doctrine of forum non conveniens. The standard of review for application of this doctrine is stated in Groendyke Transport, Inc. v. Cook, 1979 OK 59, 594 P.2d 269 , 272, which is that, this Court will not issue a writ on this issue "unless the exercise of discretion made in the lower tribunal is so erroneous as to amount to an arbitrary abuse of discretion." Since plaintiff and defendant driver are Oklahoma residents and Blue Bell Creameries, garages the subject common carrier in Oklahoma, then Oklahoma is a proper forum. ¶3 DONE BY THE ORDER OF THE SUPREME COURT IN CONFERENCE THIS 26th DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2001. S/CHIEF JUSTICE VOTE TO ASSUME ORIGINAL JURISDICTION: ¶4 Hargrave, C.J., and Hodges, Kauger, Boudreau, Winchester, JJ. - Concur ¶5 Watt, V.C.J., and Lavender, Opala, Summers, JJ. - Dissent VOTE TO PUBLISH: ¶6 Hargrave, C.J.; Watt, V.C.J., and Hodges, Lavender, Opala, Kauger, Boudreau, Winchester, JJ. - Concur