Opinion ID: 785287
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Earlier Suits

Text: 4 Before filing the present suit, appellant Dawn Kougasian (Kougasian) filed three earlier suits, two in California state court and one in federal district court. We describe them in turn.
5 Kougasian filed her first suit in March 1998 in the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, on her own behalf and as guardian ad litem for her son William. TMSL was the sole defendant. Kougasian alleged causes of action for wrongful death, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, and spoliation of evidence. 6 Kougasian alleged that TMSL had constructed the ski run in such a manner that the jump caused by the crossing road was not visible to skiers, and that skiers often fell just after the jump. She alleged that TMSL acted negligently and recklessly either in placing the rock or in failing to remove it. She also alleged that TMSL attempted to cover up the nature of the accident by moving both the rock and her injured husband; by falsely reporting to the local sheriff's department that her husband had skied off the trail; and by attempting to hide the identity of witnesses and to dissuade witnesses from testifying truthfully. 7 The California Superior Court granted TMSL's motion for summary judgment on all counts on June 18, 1999. The Court of Appeal affirmed on December 20, 2000, and the Supreme Court denied review on March 21, 2001.
8 In December 1998, Kougasian filed a second suit in the Superior Court of Orange County, which was subsequently transferred to Los Angeles County. She brought this suit both on her own behalf and as a survival action as successor in interest of her deceased husband. The defendants were TMSL and its insurer K & K Insurance Group (K & K). In her second amended complaint, filed August 1, 2001, Kougasian pled causes of action for premises liability, and for intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. She alleged essentially the same facts as in Kougasian I, and added allegations of conspiracy between TMSL and K & K to obstruct justice and to deny constitutional rights. In the added allegations, she claimed, inter alia, that the defendants had filed a false declaration in Kougasian I, and that the court had based its judgment on this declaration. She alleged that the defendants prevented her from challenging the declaration by presenting it to the court at the last minute and by refusing to provide the declarant's telephone number or address. 9 The Superior Court in Kougasian II stayed proceedings while Kougasian I was pending on appeal. After the Court of Appeal affirmed the judgment in Kougasian I, the Superior Court sustained a demurrer by TMSL based on res judicata and collateral estoppel in an order filed on October 11, 2001. It also sustained a demurrer by K & K, but that document is not in the record. The Court of Appeal affirmed as to both defendants on April 28, 2003. The Court of Appeal held that Kougasian's emotional distress claims against TMSL in Kougasian II were barred by res judicata under California's primary right doctrine. It further held that Kougasian's survival claims against TMSL, and all claims against K & K, were barred by collateral estoppel.
10 While Kougasian II was still pending in Superior Court, Kougasian filed a third suit, this time against the United States, in federal district court under the Federal Tort Claims Act. The parties stipulated to a voluntary dismissal without prejudice under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1) on February 21, 2002.