Case Name: LONG v. THUNDER BAY MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
Court: Michigan Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Decision Date: 1978-09-21
Citations: 86 Mich. App. 69
Docket Number: Docket No. 77-2558
Parties: LONG v THUNDER BAY MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
Judges: Before: N.J. Kaufman, P.J., and Beasley and P.R. Mahinske, JJ.
Reporter: Michigan appeals reports; cases decided in the Michigan Court of Appeals.
Volume: 86
Pages: 69–76

Head Matter:
LONG v THUNDER BAY MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
Docket No. 77-2558.
Submitted June 15, 1978, at Detroit.
Decided September 21, 1978.
Defendant Thunder Bay Manufacturing Corporation gave defendant Lawrence Rice an automobile by executing an assignment of the title and delivering the assigned title and the vehicle to him on May 26, 1972. On November 4, 1972, plaintiff, James J. Long, was injured in an accident involving the vehicle, which was being driven by defendant Rice. At the time of the accident the license plates registered to Thunder Bay were on the vehicle and the registration and title had not been transferred at the Secretary of State’s office. Plaintiff sued defendants for damages for his injuries and the Wayne Circuit Court, Charles S. Farmer, J., first granted defendant Thunder Bay’s motion for summary judgment and then vacated the judgment. Thunder Bay appeals by leave granted. Held:
The application of the statute governing liability for negligent operation of recently transferred automobiles is not affected by defendant Thunder Bay’s failure to remove the license plates at the time of transfer.
Reversed.
N. J. Kaufman, J., dissented. He would hold that since removal of the plates is mandated by statute the transfer to defendant Rice was void for noncompliance and that defendant Thunder Bay is not entitled to summary judgment.
Opinion of the Court
1. Automobiles — Statutes—Negligence—Transfer of Automobiles —Liability of Seller for Negligent Operation.
The statute governing liability for negligent operation of recently transferred automobiles is not affected by a seller’s failure to remove the license plates (MCL 257.240; MSA 9.1940).
Dissent by N. J. Kaufman, P. J.
2. Automobiles — Statutes—Negligence—Transfer of Automobiles —Liability of Seller — Negligent Operation.
The statute governing liability for negligent operation of recently transferred automobiles does not apply where the title to the automobile and license plates are not transferred at the Secretary of State’s office and the statute requiring removal of the license plates from the vehicle has not been complied with; a transfer under such conditions is void and the transferor is liable for damages resulting from negligent operation of the vehicle by a third person (MCL 257.233, 257.240; MSA 9.1933, 9.1940).
Reference for Points in Headnotes
[1, 2] 8 Am Jur 2d, Automobiles and Highway Traffic §§ 996, 997.
Dice, Sweeney, Sullivan & Feikens, P.C. (by Paul F. Ray), for defendant Thunder Bay.
Before: N.J. Kaufman, P.J., and Beasley and P.R. Mahinske, JJ.
Circuit judge, sitting on the Court of Appeals by assignment.

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
We believe MCL 257.240; MSA 9.1940, set forth as follows, means just what it says:
"The owner of a motor vehicle who has made a bona fide sale by transfer of his title or interest and who has delivered possession of such vehicle and certificate of title thereto properly endorsed to the purchaser or transferee shall not be liable for any damages thereafter resulting from negligent operation of such vehicle by another."
Defendant Thunder Bay Manufacturing Corporation made a bona fide sale to defendant Rice and delivered possession of the vehicle and the certificate of title properly endorsed. Therefore, under the statute, defendant Thunder Bay was not liable for damages resulting from negligent operation by another.
None of the cases cited in the dissenting opinion involves car license plates. Failure to remove the plates does not preclude the application of MCL 257.240; MSA 9.1940._
We further note that plaintiff-appellee did not see fit to file a brief.
We reverse the order denying defendant-appellant's motion for summary judgment. Defendant's motion for summary judgment is hereby granted.
Reversed.