Opinion ID: 1620544
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Waiver of Abatement

Text: In addition, Janet argues that J.B.'s action in requesting genetic testing after Jeffrey's death waived J.B.'s right to argue that the paternity action did not survive Jeffrey's death. Whether abatement of an action can be waived is also a question of first impression in Nebraska. Other courts have considered the question of whether a party could waive the abatement of an action. In Deeg v. City of Detroit, 345 Mich. 371, 76 N.W.2d 16 (1956), the Michigan Supreme Court concluded that where an action abated and did not survive the death of one of the parties, the abatement was absolute and the action ceased to exist. The court reasoned that [t]he rule is well settled that parties to a case may not give a court jurisdiction over the subject matter if such jurisdiction does not legally exist. By the same process of reasoning it must be said that they cannot by stipulation empower a court to hear and determine an alleged cause of action that does not in fact exist. Id. at 381-82, 76 N.W.2d at 21-22. See, also, Blodgett v. Greenfield, 101 Cal. App. 399, 401, 281 P. 694, 694-95 (1929) ([a]n executrix in her representative capacity could not bind the estate which she represents by inadvertently answering to a charge against the deceased which does not survive and which is barred by the event of his death). [3] We find the above reasoning persuasive and conclude that because Jeffrey's action abated at his death and did not survive, the action abated absolutely and ceased to exist. J.B.'s action in requesting genetic testing from the district court did not act to waive that abatement. As such, the district court did not err in denying Janet's motion for revivor. Janet's first assignment of error is without merit.