Opinion ID: 2618736
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: limitations tort claims

Text: Appellant's complaint also alleged claims for relief based on assault and battery, malicious prosecution and false imprisonment committed by the law enforcement officers acting within the scope of their duties. The applicable statute of limitations for these claims provides in pertinent part: (a) Civil actions other than for the recovery of real property can only be brought within the following periods after the cause of action accrues:       (v) Within one (1) year, an action for: (A) Libel or slander; (B) Assault or battery; (C) Malicious prosecution or false imprisonment; or (D) Upon a statute for a penalty or forfeiture, except that if a different limitation is prescribed in the statute by which the remedy is given the action shall be brought within the period prescribed by the statute. (Emphasis added.) Section 1-3-105(a)(v), W.S. 1977. Without more, these claims are clearly barred since appellant's complaint was filed on November 27, 1981, more than two years after the occurrences upon which such claims were based. Appellant argues, however, that the Wyoming Governmental Claims Act, § 1-39-101 et seq., W.S. 1977, Cum.Supp. 1982, provides a three-year [4] statute of limitations for an action resulting from tortious conduct of law enforcement officers while acting within the scope of their duties. Section 1-39-112, W.S. 1977, Cum.Supp. 1982. Assuming that appellant's tort claims are subject to the Wyoming Governmental Claims Act [5] , they were not properly processed under it. Appellant relies on the notice provision of § 1-39-113, supra, fn. 4, to extend the statutes of limitations period. That section requires notice of the claim to be given the government entity within two years of the alleged act, error or omission unless it was not discoverable or not discovered despite the exercise of due diligence within two years of the act, error or omission. The failure to timely notify the government entity precludes the claimant from bringing an action under the Wyoming Governmental Claims Act. Section 1-39-113, supra, fn. 4. In this case appellant concedes that the actions of which he complains occurred in March, April, and May of 1979 and were discovered within two years of their occurrence. Therefore, appellant was required to present his claim to the Town of Mills not later than May 1981 in order to preserve his right to bring an action under the Wyoming Governmental Claims Act. Appellant did not file his claim with the Town of Mills until November 25, 1981, more than two years after the date of the alleged actions, and he is precluded by § 1-39-113(a), supra, fn. 4, from bringing an action under the Wyoming Governmental Claims Act. Our holding that appellant's civil rights claims are barred by the applicable statutes of limitations period and that appellant's tort claims may not be brought because of appellant's failure to timely file a claim with the Town of Mills, makes it unnecessary to address the third issue raised by appellant. Affirmed.