Opinion ID: 1781339
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Negligence in Prosecution of First Lawsuit

Text: Appellant initially argues that the trial court erred in granting the motion for summary judgment on the issue of Appellees' alleged negligent prosecution of the first lawsuit, which resulted in a voluntary nonsuit. Appellant asserts that Appellees' lack of preparation of the case left her no choice but to agree to a nonsuit. Appellant challenges the trial court's deference to Appellees' legal judgment in electing to take a nonsuit without looking beyond counsels' decision to the facts leading up to that decision. Appellees maintain that ARCP Rule 41 provides an absolute right to a voluntary dismissal and that Appellant consented to taking the nonsuit. The trial court ruled that it was within Appellees' discretion as counsel for Appellant to take a voluntary nonsuit and that such decisions were frequently made by attorneys. The trial court stated: Cases are dismissed for any number of reasons and as counsel has been given such discretion [pursuant to ARCP Rule 41], I'm not going to look behind that dismissal at this point and make a determination as to whether or not their development of the case up until that time was proper or improper. I think I must defer to counsel's judgment call on the case as it existed with the facts and issues known to counsel at the time. We hold that it was not error for the trial court to defer to Appellees' decision to seek a voluntary dismissal or nonsuit of Appellant's case, as such matters were within counsel's discretion. Rule 41(a) clearly allows a plaintiff to nonsuit a claim, and this court has recognized that the rule creates an absolute right to a nonsuit. Whetstone v. Chadduck, 316 Ark. 330, 871 S.W.2d 583 (1994); Jenkins v. Goldsby, 307 Ark. 558, 822 S.W.2d 842 (1992). Appellant does not claim that the nonsuit was taken without her consent or that she did not understand the concept of taking a nonsuit. Additionally, we conclude that by continuing her retainment of Appellees as her attorneys well into the filing of the second complaint, Appellant effectively waived any claim she may have had against Appellees for any alleged negligence committed in the prosecution of the first suit.