Opinion ID: 1698479
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Substitution.

Text: ¶ 29. The defendants argue that the complaint was null and void from its filing. Therefore, the plaintiff's motion to substitute Payne as the administrator, pursuant to Mississippi Rule of Civil Procedure 17(a), had no legal effect. ¶ 30. Payne argues that Rule 17(a) mandates that dismissal is inappropriate. In addition, Payne relies on Methodist Hospital of Hattiesburg, Inc. v. Richardson, 909 So.2d 1066 (Miss.2005) ( Richardson II ), for authority. Rule 17(a) states: Every action shall be prosecuted in the name of the real party in interest. An executor, administrator, guardian, bailee, trustee, a party with whom or in whose name a contract has been made for the benefit of another, or a party authorized by statute may sue in his representative capacity without joining with him the party for whose benefit the action is brought. No action shall be dismissed on the ground that it is not prosecuted in the name of the real party in interest until a reasonable time has been allowed after objection for ratification of commencement of the action by, or joinder or substitution of, the real party in interest; and such ratification, joinder or substitution shall have the same effect as if the action had been commenced in the name of the real party in interest. (Emphasis added). Rule 17(a) provides for a reasonable time upon objection for joinder of the real party in interest. Richardson II, 909 So.2d at 1072. ¶ 31. By way of background, this Court previously handed down Richardson v. Methodist Hospital of Hattiesburg, Inc., 807 So.2d 1244 (Miss.2002) ( Richardson I ). In Richardson I, Linda Richardson filed a wrongful-death claim against Methodist for the death of her mother, Vivian Wheeless. Richardson I, 807 So.2d at 1245. This Court affirmed the trial court's decision to grant summary judgment on the wrongful-death claim. Id. at 1248. In addition, this Court also determined that, while a survival statute was not set out in the complaint, there was a claim and reversed and remanded on that issue. Id. ¶ 32. In Richardson II, Methodist filed a motion to dismiss or for summary judgment, claiming that even though the Supreme Court reversed and remanded on the survival claim, the real party of interest, the Estate of Vivian Wheeless, was not a party to the action. Richardson II, 909 So.2d at 1068. The circuit court granted the motion for summary judgment, reasoning that since all the wrongful-death claims were dismissed, the wrongful-death beneficiaries were not the proper parties to bring the survival claim, as an estate had never been opened. Id. Three days later, Richardson petitioned the Chancery Court of Lamar County to open an estate for Wheeless and to appoint Richardson as administratrix. Id. The chancellor granted letters of administration to Richardson. Id. By separate order, the chancellor also allowed Richardson to join the circuit court case on behalf of the Estate of Vivian Wheeless. Id. Thereafter, Richardson filed an amended complaint with the circuit court. Id. The circuit court issued an order acknowledging the amended complaint and permitting the filing. Id. at 1069 n. 2. The hospital filed a motion to strike the plaintiff's amended complaint or, in the alternative, motion for summary judgment claiming, in part, that the Estate was a stranger to the litigation. Id. On appeal, this Court held that Richardson, as Administratrix, properly ratified and joined the action by amended complaint within a reasonable time after the hospital's objection. Id. at 1073. ¶ 33. Payne filed a motion to substitute the real party in interest within a reasonable time after the defendants' objection. The complaint was filed, Payne became administrator, and an estate was in existence, all within the two-year statute of limitations. Within a month of the defendants' motions, the circuit court permitted substitution of the real party in interest. Therefore, the circuit court did not err by denying the defendants' motion to dismiss or for summary judgment, and granting Payne's motion for substitution.