Opinion ID: 2059987
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: modification of civil liability act is revision of statutory as well as common law

Text: There is no doubt that § 3135 purports to modify, alter or amend both common law and statutory law. Because of the limitation of time we will consider only the effect on the so-called owners liability statute. Vicarious owners liability, qua owner, is not derived from common law and is purely statutory in Michigan, [10] governed by the so-called owners liability act, MCLA 257.401; MSA 9.2101 The owners liability statute has been said, in fact, to be in derogation of the common law, not merely in affirmance of it, Wieczorek v Merskin, 308 Mich 145, 148 (1944). Section 3135(2) does not purport to modify only common-law tort liability because it refers not merely to tort liability arising from maintenance or use, but also refers to that tort liability arising purely from ownership. Since there is no common-law liability arising purely from ownership, it can only be the owners liability in the civil liability act that is being referred to. MCLA 257.401 is the only provision of law giving rise to tort liability for mere ownership. [11] All parties arguing here on this question agree that the only purpose of § 3135 is to modify or amend the owners liability statute, among others. [12]