Opinion ID: 2689167
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: Robert Christensen paid the purchase price for a Chrysler PT Cruiser on April 29, 2003, and the certificate of title was placed in the name of both Mary Taylor-Christensen and Robert Christensen as co-owners. They were married at the time, but were involved in dissolution of marriage proceedings. Both Christensen and his then wife Taylor-Christensen signed the application for certificate of title, under penalty of perjury, to have the title issued to them jointly as “owner” and “co-owner.” Christensen did not receive the certificate of title because it was mailed to the wife’s address, but the certificate of title was issued in the name of both Christensen and his wife, as “Mary G. Taylor-Christensen or Robert L. Christensen.” Although Christensen did not have a key to the vehicle or -2- use the vehicle, and did not reside with Taylor-Christensen or have access to her garage where the vehicle was kept, the title to the vehicle was in his name as coowner. Approximately twenty-two months after the vehicle was purchased, TaylorChristensen negligently struck and killed Thomas Bowen while driving the vehicle. At the time of the accident, the title remained in the names of both TaylorChristensen and Christensen and the vehicle was being operated with his consent. After the accident, Mary Jo Bowen, as executor of her husband’s estate, filed an action for wrongful death against both Taylor-Christensen and Christensen. Bowen alleged that Christensen, as an owner of the vehicle, was vicariously liable for Taylor-Christensen’s negligence under the dangerous instrumentality doctrine. Christensen, however, contended that he was not vicariously liable under the beneficial ownership exception to the dangerous instrumentality doctrine. He testified during trial that his intent was to purchase the vehicle as a gift for his wife and that he had no involvement with the vehicle after it was purchased. Bowen moved for a directed verdict on the issue of ownership, but the trial court denied the motion. The jury was instructed that “[a]n owner of a vehicle is one who has legal title to the vehicle and who has a beneficial ownership with the right of control and authority over its use.” The jury subsequently found that Christensen was not an owner of the vehicle. Bowen appealed the denial of the -3- motion for directed verdict to the Fifth District, and the district court, on rehearing, reversed the trial court’s ruling. The Fifth District held that Christensen was liable under the dangerous instrumentality doctrine because he retained an identifiable property interest in the vehicle for himself by having his name placed on the title as co-owner, and that his subjective intent in signing the purchase and title documents was insufficient to defeat vicarious liability of a titleholder. The district court then certified to this Court the previously quoted question, and this review followed.