Opinion ID: 1154750
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Tolling the Statutes of Limitations Equitable Estoppel.

Text: Estoppel precludes one party from asserting a right when another party has relied to his detriment upon the acts or conduct of the first party and when asserting that right would prejudice the other who has acted thereon in reliance. Garcia v. Garcia (In re Estates of Salas), 105 N.M. 472, 475, 734 P.2d 250, 253 (Ct.App. 1987). As we stated in Capo v. Century Life Insurance Co., 94 N.M. 373, 610 P.2d 1202 (1980): The essential elements of equitable estoppel as related to the party estopped ... are: (1) conduct which amounts to a false representation or concealment of material facts, or, at least, which is calculated to convey the impression that facts are otherwise than, and inconsistent with, those which the party subsequently attempts to assert; (2) intention that such conduct shall be acted upon by the other party ...; and (3) knowledge, actual or constructive, of the real facts.... As related to [the party claiming] estoppel, the essentials are: (1) lack of knowledge and of means of knowledge of the truth as to the facts in question ...; (2) reliance upon the conduct of the party estopped ...; and (3) action based thereon of such character as to change its position prejudicially. Id. at 377, 610 P.2d at 1206; Stuckey's Stores, Inc. v. O'Cheskey, 93 N.M. 312, 324, 600 P.2d 258, 270 (1979), appeal dismissed, 446 U.S. 930, 100 S.Ct. 2145, 64 L.Ed.2d 783 (1980). We find particularly significant here the requirements of lack of knowledge and the lack of means by which knowledge might be obtained by the party asserting estoppel. See Garcia, 105 N.M. at 475, 734 P.2d at 253. In addition, the party asserting estoppel must show that he relied upon conduct, and such reliance must have been reasonable. C & L Lumber & Supply, Inc. v. Texas Am. Bank/Galeria, 110 N.M. 291, 297-98, 795 P.2d 502, 508-09 (1990). Equitable estoppel will be applied when the party estopped intends or expects that the innocent party will act on those representations. Green v. New Mexico Human Servs. Dep't, Income Support Div., 107 N.M. 628, 629-30, 762 P.2d 915, 916-17 (Ct.App. 1988). So, a party may not claim estoppel unless there is reasonable reliance upon the acts or conduct of another, and he is induced to take or forgoes from taking a position to his prejudice or detriment. Capo, 94 N.M. at 377, 610 P.2d at 1206. The existence of grounds justifying a claim of equitable estoppel is a question of fact, and the party alleging and relying on such claim has the burden of establishing all facts necessary to prove it. Garcia, 105 N.M. at 475, 734 P.2d at 253. In the case of fraudulent concealment, the facts that a party must show are: (1) the use of fraudulent means by the party who raises the bar of the statute; (2) successful concealment from the injured party; and (3) that the party claiming fraudulent concealment did not know or by the exercise of reasonable diligence could not have known that he might have a cause of action. See Keithley v. St. Joseph's Hosp., 102 N.M. 565, 570, 698 P.2d 435, 440 (Ct.App.1984), cert. quashed, 102 N.M. 565, 698 P.2d 435 (1985). The party must plead the circumstances giving rise to estoppel with particularity. Hardin v. Farris, 87 N.M. 143, 146, 530 P.2d 407, 410 (Ct.App.1974). Bald allegations of concealment are not sufficient to make out a case of fraudulent concealment. See SCRA 1986, 1-009(B) (Repl.Pamp. 1992). So, the party asserting estoppel must sustain the burden of showing not only that he failed to discover the cause of action prior to the running of the statute of limitations, but also that he exercised due diligence and that some affirmative act of fraudulent concealment frustrated discovery notwithstanding such diligence. See Capo, 94 N.M. at 377, 610 P.2d at 1206; Keithley, 102 N.M. at 570, 698 P.2d at 440.