Opinion ID: 895787
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Extraordinary Services

Text: [¶ 15] Lavilla contends the trial court erred in dismissing her compensation claim because her care went beyond the general care one family member would generally provide to another gratuitously. Lavilla argues an implied agreement to compensate arose because her benefits from the marriage did not equal the value of her extraordinary services. She contends Emanuel's estate was enriched by her extensive services because she saved his estate the cost of institutional nursing care. [¶ 16] The children argue her services were not extraordinary since volunteers and health aides helped her care for Emanuel near the end. The children urge that it is speculative to think the only alternative to Lavilla's care was institutional nursing care. They note Lavilla admitted she had not expected to be paid for her services. They contest any lack of mutuality because Lavilla received many lifetime benefits from the marriage. [¶ 17] Ordinarily, someone who performs substantial services for another without an express agreement for compensation becomes entitled to the reasonable value of the services. Matter of Estate of Raketti, 340 N.W.2d 894, 901 (N.D.1983). When, however, services are performed by a family member in the same household, it is presumed that the services were gratuitous and that compensation was not intended. Id. Compare NDCC 14-07-05: Any person after marriage has with respect to ... contracts... the same capacity and rights and is subject to the same liabilities as before marriage, including liability to suit by his or her spouse.; Riebe v. Riebe, 252 N.W.2d 175, 178 (N.D.1977) (Spouses may contract with one another as if unmarried). Under NDREv 301(a), a family claimant has the burden of overcoming the judicially fashioned presumption against compensation by proof that the services were extraordinary and not gratuitous. [¶ 18] Prior North Dakota precedents applying the presumption against compensation for services by a family member were thoroughly analyzed in Raketti. We explained that [o]nly where the services were of a particularly extraordinary nature did the Court find that the presumption had been overcome. 340 N.W.2d at 901. In Raketti, too, we emphasized that courts should consider all of the surrounding facts and circumstances, not only the degree and nature of the family relationship but also the lack of mutuality of benefits, a request for the help, and the degree of hardship on the care giver. Id. at 902. We stressed the factual nature of this inquiry: [T]he court should take into consideration all of the surrounding facts and circumstances when determining whether an agreement to pay should be implied. The central question presented in these cases is whether or not, under the facts and circumstances of each particular case, it would reasonably be expected that compensation would be paid. These cases will, of necessity, turn on the particular facts presented therein. Id. This kind of factual inquiry is generally unsuitable for summary judgment. [¶ 19] This trial court recognized: The record makes clear that [Lavilla] provided considerable care for [Emanuel], particularly in the six months or so preceding his death. Her claim that he would have required nursing home care without the services she was providing is not refuted in the record. Still, the trial court reasoned: The record of this case does not support the conclusion that an implied agreement for compensation can be construed. The services provided by [Lavilla] were not of the type or degree referred to in In Re: Estate of Thompson [191 N.W.2d 578 (N.D.1971)] except near the very end of [Emanuel's] lifetime. The mutuality of benefit concept when applied to the present case clearly indicates (by her testimony) that [Lavilla] derived considerable enjoyment from the marital relationship she shared with [Emanuel] until his death. Although this might be one factual inference after a complete factual assessment, we disagree with it as a legal conclusion. See, for example, Bergerson v. Mattern, 41 N.D. 404, 170 N.W. 877 (1918), affirming a jury verdict against a mother's estate for her daughter's exceptional services: Although the usual presumption is that services rendered by a child to its parents are acts of kindness and gratuitous and do not create by their rendition an implied promise to pay therefor, nevertheless, where the services rendered are so exceptional and peculiar and the surrounding circumstances such as to lead to the reasonable belief of an understanding that pecuniary compensation should be made, a contract to pay therefor may be implied. Id. The conflicting evidence in this case created material factual disputes about whether Lavilla's services were so exceptional and lacking in mutuality as to imply a contract to pay her. [¶ 20] Lavilla offered much evidence about the extraordinary nature of her extensive services to Emanuel in the last three years of a ten-year relationship. During his serious illnesses, she helped him for months with all his bodily and medical needs while he was very weak, including the basic functions of bathing, dressing, eating, and toileting. While assisting Emanuel physically, Lavilla claims she injured her back to an extent that now prevents her from fully supporting herself financially. This evidence on the degree of Lavilla's effort and hardship in caring for Emanuel necessitates factual findings. [¶ 21] The children argue Lavilla admitted her services were gratuitous when she said in her deposition that she had not expected to be paid. But an isolated statement is not dispositive because her initial expectation, when her services started, may have changed over time. See Matter of Estate of Zent, 459 N.W.2d 795, 800 (N.D.1990) (girlfriend's statement, I didn't ask for anything, did not prevent recovery on implied contract for extraordinary care of aging Alzheimer's patient in his home). According to Lavilla, Emanuel pleaded with her to make sure he would not be put in a nursing institution, and she agreed. The effect of this request for her services and the extent of the mutuality of benefits are other factual factors to be weighed at a trial and, altogether, the factors here do not fit summary disposition. [¶ 22] Viewing Lavilla's evidence in the light most favorable to her, as we must, summary judgment was inappropriate. We remand for trial her claim for extraordinary services.