Opinion ID: 2581353
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: dismissal of talbert's counterclaim

Text: Talbert contends that the district court abused its discretion by dismissing her counterclaim. She argues that the district court should not have dismissed her counterclaim for alleging a claim for punitive damages, but rather simply should have stricken the allegation from the pleading. Harwood, in turn, asserts that the district court properly dismissed Talbert's counterclaim since Talbert knew that Harwood did not request a hearing on the motion and Talbert could have requested one. Harwood also submits that Talbert could have raised this issue to the district court, by moving for reconsideration of the dismissal, rather than filing an amended answer without asserting the counterclaim anew, or by bringing the claim by a separate action. Talbert's counterclaim against Harwood requested punitive damages in the amount of $100,000 for pointing a loaded shotgun at her. Harwood filed a motion to dismiss, or in the alternative, a motion to strike or a motion for sanctions on the basis that the counterclaim had specified the amount of punitive damages in violation of I.C. § 6-1604 and I.R.C.P 9(g). The motion stated that no oral argument was requested. The following day, the district court dismissed the counter-claim. Idaho Code § 6-1604 provides that: In all civil actions in which punitive damages are permitted, no claim for damages shall be filed containing a prayer for relief seeking punitive damages. However, a party may, pursuant to a pretrial motion and after hearing before the court, amend the pleadings to include a prayer for relief seeking punitive damages. The court shall allow the motion to amend the pleadings if the moving party establishes at such hearing a reasonable likelihood of proving facts at trial sufficient to support an award of punitive damages. I.R.C.P. 9(g) provides that when punitive damages are claimed that no dollar amount or figure should be included beyond a statement that the jurisdictional dollar amount of the controversy is satisfied. Talbert argues that the district court should have had a hearing on Harwood's motion rather than summarily dismissing the counterclaim. I.R.C.P. 41(b) provides that the defendant, Harwood since this was Talbert's counterclaim, may move for dismissal of an action when the plaintiff, Talbert, has not complied with the rules of civil procedure or any order of the court. We affirm the district court's finding that as a matter of law the counterclaim filed by Talbert was contrary to I.R.C.P. 9(g) and I.C. § 6-1604. Since neither Harwood nor Talbert requested a hearing on the motion, it was not necessary for the district court to hold a hearing on the motion to dismiss. Further, as Harwood points out, Talbert could have filed a motion to reconsider and requested a hearing on that motion. Talbert also argues that the district court erred in dismissing the entire counterclaim rather than striking the portion of the pleading specifying the punitive damage claim. To support her argument Talbert cites Mikesell v. Newworld Development Corp., 122 Idaho 868, 878, 840 P.2d 1090, 1100 (Ct.App. 1992). In Mikesell, the complaint requested $10,000 in punitive damages, however, evidently neither party was aware that I.C. § 6-1604 prohibited such a request at the time of the trial and the issue was fully tried. Mikesell, 122 Idaho at 878, 840 P.2d at 1100. After the trial, the district court refused to award punitive damages to the Mikesells because of the Mikesells' noncompliance with I.C. § 6-1604(2) and rule 9(g). The Court of Appeals determined that the district court erred in dismissing the punitive damages claim after it had been tried, holding that where an issue is improperly raised in the pleadings but tried by the parties without objection, it will be treated as having been properly raised. Id. This case differs from Mikesell in that Talbert's counterclaim was dismissed long before the trial occurred, not after being litigated at trial. Here, Talbert's counterclaim clearly requested punitive damages in her initial pleading and stated the amount requested contrary to I.C. § 6-1604 and I.R.C.P. 9(g). Talbert raised the counterclaim in the summer of 1995 when she was representing herself pro se. Harwood filed his motion to dismiss the claim, strike the counterclaim or to impose some other sanction for violating I.C. § 6-1604 and I.R.C.P. 9(g). The district judge acted immediately by granting the motion to dismiss the counterclaim. The counterclaim was dismissed early enough that the statute of limitation would not have constituted a bar. The dismissal does not appear to be with prejudice, thus Talbert was free to seek leave to properly re-file her counterclaim for punitive damages without stating the amount requested within, thereby curing the problem. There is nothing in the record to show that Talbert was inhibited from pursuing her counterclaim in another independent action or as a properly pled counterclaim in this case. Although the district court has the option to strike the portion of the counterclaim that states the amount of the punitive damages requested, the court also has the option to grant a motion to dismiss. We leave that decision within the sound discretion of the trial court. Here, the district court exercised its discretion and dismissed the counterclaim. This Court holds the district court did not abuse its discretion by dismissing Talbert's counterclaim.