Opinion ID: 2633475
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Two-Year Professional Negligence Statute of Limitations

Text: [¶ 7] The first certified question asks us to determine whether the two-year statute of limitations contained in Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-107(a) applies to licensed outfitters and professional guides. Section 1-3-107(a) provides, in relevant part: (a) A cause of action arising from an act, error or omission in the rendering of licensed or certified professional or health care services shall be brought within the greater of the following times: (i) Within two (2) years of the date of the alleged act, error or omission, except that a cause of action may be instituted not more than two (2) years after discovery of the alleged act, error or omission, if the claimant can establish that the alleged act, error or omission was: (A) Not reasonably discoverable within a two (2) year period; or (B) The claimant failed to discover the alleged act, error or omission within the two (2) year period despite the exercise of due diligence. While this Court has never addressed the question, in Walters v. Grand Teton Crest Outfitters, Inc., 804 F.Supp. 1442 (D.Wyo. 1992), the federal district court held that a licensed outfitter is not a professional and, therefore, the two-year statute of limitations did not apply. Dr. Prokop argues that the rationale articulated in Walters should be applied by this Court. Timber Creek Outfitters, the Hockhalters, and Mr. McJunkin, on the other hand, urge us to adopt the reasoning we applied in Rawlinson v. Greer, 2003 WY 28, ¶¶ 15-16, 64 P.3d 120, 123-24 (Wyo. 2003), where we concluded that realtors are professionals subject to the two-year statute of limitations. [¶ 8] The Walters case predated our decision in Rawlinson and, at the time, the appropriate analysis for determining whether someone fell within the professional category for the purposes of Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-107(a) had not been fully developed by this Court. In Walters, the court looked to the definition of professional found in Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 9-2-1803(a)(iii) (LexisNexis 1991) to determine whether an outfitter would be considered a professional. That statute requires at least one year of specialized post-secondary education in order to fall within the professional category. Because no specific schooling is required for an outfitter to obtain its license, the court concluded that an outfitter was not a professional and, therefore, the two-year statute of limitations for professionals was inapplicable. Walters, 804 F.Supp. at 1446. [¶ 9] Section 9-2-1803(a)(iii) defines the term professional as it is used in the Wyoming Professional Review Panel Act, 9-2-1801 et seq., not as it is used in the Code of Civil Procedure, Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-107(a), where the two-year limitations period for professionals is found. In Rawlinson, ¶ 14, 64 P.3d at 123, we did not rely upon § 9-2-1803(a)(iii) when we set forth the analytical framework for determining whether someone is a licensed . . . or certified professional within the meaning of § 1-3-107(a). Rather, we applied this Court's well-settled rules of statutory interpretation: [W]e must apply our well established test for interpreting statutes: We first decide whether the statute is clear or ambiguous. This Court makes that determination as a matter of law. A statute is unambiguous if its wording is such that reasonable persons are able to agree as to its meaning with consistency and predictability. A statute is ambiguous only if it is found to be vague or uncertain and subject to varying interpretations. If we determine that a statute is clear and unambiguous, we give effect to the plain language of the statute. We begin by making an inquiry respecting the ordinary and obvious meaning of the words employed according to their arrangement and connection. We construe the statute as a whole, giving effect to every word, clause, and sentence, and we construe together all parts of the statute in pari materia. If we determine that the statute is ambiguous, we resort to general principles of statutory construction to determine the legislature's intent. Id. (internal citations and quotation marks omitted). In applying this analysis in the context of realtors, we concluded that because licensure is required before a person may work in the real estate profession, realtors would seem to fall under the plain language of § 1-3-107(a). Id., ¶ 16, 64 P.3d at 124. In Rawlinson we also pointed out that the § 1-3-107(a) two-year statute of limitations has been applied to a number of other types of licensed professionals, including physicians, attorneys, surveyors, accountants, and chiropractors. Id., ¶ 15, 64 P.3d at 123-24 (citing Edwards v. Fogarty, 962 P.2d 879 (Wyo.1998) (the statute applies to physicians); Murphy v. Housel & Housel, 955 P.2d 880 (Wyo.1998) (the statute applies to attorneys); Bredthauer v. Christian, Spring, Seilbach and Associates, 824 P.2d 560 (Wyo. 1992) (the statute applies to land surveyors); Mills v. Garlow, 768 P.2d 554 (Wyo.1989) (the statute applies to accountants); Echols v. Keeler, 735 P.2d 730 (Wyo.1987) (the statute applies to chiropractors)). [¶ 10] The Wyoming Outfitters and Guides Act requires that outfitters and guides obtain a license and sets forth qualifications necessary for licensure: