Opinion ID: 1179060
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: retrospective application of section 1-7.7

Text: The effective date of § 1-7.7, supra, was May 28, 1976. See Session Laws of Wyoming 1976, Ch. 10, Section 2. The plaintiff filed suit against the defendants on April 17, 1975, seeking damages for the personal injuries suffered as the result of the accident which occurred on January 11, 1974. The trial of the case commenced on August 24, 1976. The plaintiff requests this court to apply § 1-7.7 retrospectively and then reverse the trial court for failure to instruct the jury on the effect of its findings. Wyoming has long followed the general rule that retrospective application of a statute to events occurring before enactment of a statute is not favored. State ex rel. Lynch v. Board of County Commissioners, 75 Wyo. 435, 296 P.2d 986, 988 (1956); Mustanen v. Diamond Coal & Coke Co., 50 Wyo. 462, 62 P.2d 287, 292 (1936); Lee v. Cook, 1 Wyo. 413, 417 (1878). In Mestas v. Diamond Coal & Coke Co., 12 Wyo. 414, 76 P. 567, 569 (1904), we said that it is ... well settled in our jurisprudence that the rule applies with almost, if not quite, equal force to constitutions as well as to statutes, that a provision will operate prospectively only, unless the words employed show a clear intention that it should have a retrospective effect. Cooley's Const. Lim. 62; Garrick v. Chamberlain, 97 Ill. 620, 633; 8 Cyc. 745, 747; County of Allegheny v. Gibson, 90 Pa. 397, 35 Am.Rep. 670; N.C. Coal Co. v. C. & I. Co., 37 Md. 537... . See also, Bemis v. Texaco, Inc., Wyo., 400 P.2d 529, 530, reh. den. 401 P.2d 708 (1965). Earlier in this opinion we discussed in detail the rule stated in Woodward v. Haney, supra, to the effect that interpretations which another state places upon its statute are very persuasive when our legislature adopts an act identical or similar to that statute. Woodward, at 564 P.2d 845. Wisconsin has consistently refused to apply its comparative-negligence statute retrospectively. Brewster v. Ludtke, 211 Wis. 344, 247 N.W. 449 (1933); Peters v. Milwaukee Electric Ry. & Light Co., 217 Wis. 481, 259 N.W. 724 (1935). When Wisconsin recently amended its comparative-negligence statute to give the plaintiff the right to recover when his negligence was exactly equal to that of the defendant, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin held that such a modification of its law cannot operate retrospectively. Holzem v. Mueller, 54 Wis.2d 388, 195 N.W.2d 635, 640 (1972); Lupie v. Hartzheim, 54 Wis.2d 415, 195 N.W.2d 461, 462 (1972). We hold that the Wyoming Legislature intended for the provisions of § 1-7.7, supra, to apply to incidents occurring only on or after May 28, 1976. There is no legislative directive which demonstrates a contrary intent. The plaintiff, nevertheless, argues that we can apply the statute retrospectively because it is a remedial or procedural statute which does not enlarge, diminish or destroy contractual or vested rights but relates only to remedies or modes of procedure which are not within the general rule against retrospective application, citing 82 C.J.S. Statutes § 416, at p. 992. An instruction, however, such as that involved in this case has been held, for the purpose of applying conflicts-of-law principles, as affecting substantive rights. McGinn v. Utah Power & Light Company, Utah, 529 P.2d 423 (1974). If any doubt remains on the subject, the plaintiff cannot escape the provisions of our general savings clause. Section 8-21, W.S. 1957, reads as follows:  Whenever a statute is repealed or amended such repeal or amendment shall in no manner affect pending actions, prosecutions or proceedings, civil or criminal, and when the repeal or amendment relates to the remedy, it shall not affect pending actions, prosecutions or proceedings, unless so expressed, nor shall any repeal or amendment affect causes of such action, prosecutions or proceedings, existing at the time of such amendment or repeal, unless otherwise expressly provided in the amending or repealing act. [Emphasis supplied] Affirmed. GUTHRIE, C.J., filed special concurrence, in which RAPER, J., joins. RAPER, J., filed separate special concurrence.