Opinion ID: 1983306
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: independent cause of action for increased risk

Text: Supreme Court Rule 41(a)(ii) authorizes the certifying court to certify to this Court for decision a question or questions of law arising in any case before it ... (emphasis added). This Court may accept certified questions in its discretion. Supr. Ct.R. 41(b). The scope of the issues that may be considered in addressing a certified question is limited by the procedural posture of the case. Rales v. Blasband, Del.Supr., 634 A.2d 927, 931 (1993). Since the parties have agreed with respect to questions I.b. and II.b., these questions of law are not at issue in the District Court. The undisputed facts also indicate that plaintiff is not claiming increased risk as an independent cause of action. Thus, without a dispute between the parties the issue has not arisen in the District Court. Generally, this Court should answer certified questions only when the answer may be determinative of the outcome of the underlying litigation in the certifying court and there is no controlling precedent of this Court. [4] Since the parties have reached agreement with respect to questions I.b. and II.b., this Court respectfully declines to answer these questions.