Opinion ID: 2218529
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Statute of Limitation Bars Claim on Insurance Policy

Text: Anthony also maintains that Gloria's claim for the cash value of the insurance policy, valued at $4,000, is barred by a statute of limitations. We agree and reverse the trial court on this issue. The Minnesota court's divorce decree, which directed Anthony to place the insurance policy under Gloria's ownership, was dated January 29, 1973, fourteen years before Gloria sought to enforce this order in the current proceedings. Anthony argues that Gloria's claim is barred under either SDCL 15-2-8, [1] the ten-year statute of limitations which applies to actions upon judgments of sister states or SDCL 15-2-13(4). The latter statute provides for a six-year limitation on [a]n action for taking, detaining, or injuring any goods or chattels, including actions for specific recovery of personal property. Of these two statutes, it is clear that SDCL 15-2-8, governing foreign judgments, applies. See, e.g., Matson v. Matson, 333 N.W.2d 862, 866-8 (Minn. 1983) (10-year limitation on actions or foreign judgments applies to action to collect foreign child support arrearages). A specific statute, i.e., SDCL 15-2-8, does control over the general statute. Hartpence v. Youth Forestry Camp, 325 N.W.2d 292, 295 (S.D.1982). To avoid the application of statutes of limitation in this case, Gloria argues that she was not entitled to the full benefits conferred by ownership of the insurance policy until June 18, 1983, the time when the parties' youngest minor child became 18. We disagree. The 1973 divorce decree directed Anthony to endorse the policy showing ownership therein in the Plaintiff [Gloria]. Her right to enforce the order to ownership provision vested at that time, January 29, 1973. Gloria asserts that all elements of her cause of action did not manifest themselves until 1983, relying on Grimm v. Ford Motor Company, 157 Mich.App. 633, 403 N.W.2d 482 (1986). We find Grimm wholly distinguishable, as it concerned wrongful death, for which the cause of action was held to accrue when death occurred. Gloria was entitled to ownership from the outset, i.e., 1973. Further, Gloria testified that she had unsuccessfully attempted to ascertain the actual ownership in the past. She, by her own words, had some realization that she should check the ownership of the policy, yet she failed to do so. There is no evidence of fraud on Anthony's part. [2] Likewise, there is no evidence of any affirmative act by fraudulent concealment on Anthony's part which would toll the statute. See, e.g., Delany v. Delany, 402 N.W.2d 701, 704 (S.D.1987). In the absence of some trust or confidential relationship between the parties there must be some affirmative act or conduct on the part of the defendant designed to prevent, and which does prevent, the discovery of the cause of action. Mere silence, in the absence of a duty to speak, is not ordinarily sufficient. Glad v. Gunderson, Farrar, Aldrich and DeMersseman, 378 N.W.2d 680, 682 (S.D. 1985) (quoting Hinkle v. Hargens, 76 S.D. 520, 525, 81 N.W.2d 888, 891 (1957)). Here, the cause of action accrued immediately, there was no fraud or fraudulent concealment, and no trust or confidential relationship. Gloria's action was time-barred. Accordingly, the trial court is reversed on this issue. In view of this holding, we do not reach Anthony's argument that Gloria failed to prove service of the 1973 divorce decree to him.