Opinion ID: 1729824
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Opinion of This Court

Text: Careful consideration of the questions certified begins with an evaluation of the notion that Article 2971 of the Civil Code limits an innkeeper's delictual liability, as well as his contractual liability as a depositary. Our examination of the Civil Code and doctrinal materials convinces us that the legislative aim of Article 2971, as amended by Act 231 of 1912, was only to limit the contractual liability of an innkeeper as depositary. Accordingly, since Article 2971 has no application to the question of an innkeeper's delictual responsibility, the answer to each question certified is no. Deposit is a contractual relationship created by the parties' mutual consent, whether actual or implied. La.C.C. arts. 2926, 2929, 2932, 2933; Comment, Bailment and Deposit in Louisiana, 35 La.L.Rev. 825, 828 (1975); 2 M. Planiol, Civil Law Treatise, pt. 2, nos. 2204-05 (11th ed. La.St.L.Inst. transl.1959). The necessary deposit is that in which the depositor has not been able to choose freely the person of the depositary, because he acts under an exigency, such as fire, flood, pillage or other casualty. La. C.C. art. 2964; 2 M. Planiol, supra, pt. 2, no. 2216. In principle, the necessary deposit is subject to the same rules as the ordinary deposit. 2 M. Planiol, supra, pt. 2, no. 2217. The law does not derogate from them except in the method of proof: in consideration of the haste in which the necessary deposit is made, the deposition on oath, or affirmation of a single competent or credible witness, may be sufficient to prove a necessary deposit, even when the value of the thing deposited exceeds five hundred dollars. La.C.C. art. 2964. Cf. 2 M. Planiol, supra, pt. 2, no. 2217. An innkeeper is responsible as depositary for the effects brought by travelers who lodge at his house; the deposit of such effects is assimilated to or considered as a necessary deposit. La.C.C. art. 2965; 2 M. Planiol, supra, pt. 2, no. 2218. An innkeeper's liability as depositary, therefore, is governed by articles of the Civil Code applicable to deposit, and not by the precepts of delictual responsibility. Much of the confusion which has plagued our jurisprudence may be avoided by distinguishing between the contractual nature of deposit and delictual concepts. See Zurich Ins. Co. v. Fairmont Roosevelt Hotel, Inc., 259 La. 875, 253 So.2d 213 (1971) (Barham, J., dissenting); Segura v. United States Aircraft Ins. Group, 246 So.2d 880, 886 (La.App.3d Cir. 1971); Comment, 35 La.L.Rev. 831, 836 (1975). The duty of a depositary is more onerous than that owed under a tortfeasor's standard of care, particularly if the depositary is compensated or if article 2938 is otherwise applicable. Segura v. United States Aircraft Ins. Group, supra ; Comment, 35 La.L.Rev. at 841 (1975). For example, he is obliged to act as a prudent administrator; proof that the deposited articles were not returned or were returned in a damaged condition raises a presumption that the depositary has not fulfilled his obligation. La.C.C. arts. 1908, 2937-38; Coe Oil Service, Inc. v. Hair, 283 So.2d 734 (La.1973). Initially, the Civil Code placed a particularly severe responsibility on an innkeeper as a depositary. He was responsible for the effects of travelers even though they were not delivered into his personal care. La. Digest of 1808, art. 31. He was, and still is, responsible if any of his guests' effects are stolen or damaged, either by his servants or agents, or by strangers going and coming in the inn. La.C.C. art. 2967; La.C.C. of 1825, art. 2938; La. Digest of 1808, art. 32. The historical justification for making an innkeeper a virtual insurer of his guests' effects stemmed from the unavoidable reliance travelers had to place on his honesty and diligence. See Profilet v. Hall & Holdreth, 14 La.Ann. 524 (1859). In view of changing social and economic conditions, with the increasing number of travelers to be lodged and the importance of objects which people take with them, the Civil Code articles pertaining to necessary deposit have been amended repeatedly to diminish innkeepers' exposure to liability as depositaries. See note, 12 Tul.L.Rev. 333 (1947); cf. 2 M. Planiol, supra, pt. 2, n. 2222. The 1825 Civil Code made an innkeeper's liability as depositary contingent upon a traveler's delivery of his effects to a servant or employee of the depositary. La.C.C. of 1825, art. 2937. The Civil Code of 1870 added articles providing that, except for items ordinarily worn about the person, an innkeeper cannot be held responsible for loss or damage to valuables which may be contained in small compass, if the innkeeper provides his guests with an iron safe or other safe deposit for valuables and posts notices that they are required to leave such articles with him for safe deposit, unless the loss occurs through the fraud or negligence of the innkeeper or his employee. La.C.C. arts. 2968 and 2969. Article 2971 of the Civil Code of 1870 was amended and reenacted by Act No. 231 of 1912, to provide that an innkeeper shall not be liable under the foregoing six articles to guests or occupants for any loss or damage to their property in any sum exceeding one hundred dollars, if a copy of this article is conspicuously posted in the guest's room, unless a greater liability has been contracted for in writing. La.C.C. art. 2971 (as amended by 1912 La.Acts, No. 231). The plain meaning of the text is that an innkeeper's contractual liability as depositary is limited to $100 if he posts the notice properly and undertakes no greater contractual responsibility in writing. The words of the law specifically limit its application to an innkeeper's liability under Articles 2965-70, which relate only to his contractual obligations as a depositary. Nothing in the words of the statute, their location in the code of their related codal provisions suggests a legislative intent to place innkeepers and their employees in a more favored position than ordinary members of the public who must respond fully for breach of a delictual duty imposed by general law. The legislative history of an innkeeper's duty as depositary indicates that Article 2971, as amended, is merely another step to reduce his onerous contractual burden as a depositary. In view of its clarity, freedom from ambiguity and its historical development, we conclude that Article 2971, as amended, does not apply to an innkeeper's liability in tort but limits only his contractual responsibility as depositary for loss or damage of the property of a guest or occupant. Our interpretation of Article 2971 is consistent with French law from which the original articles regarding innkeeper's liability in the Digest of 1808 were drawn. See Articles 2965-67, La.C.C.Comp.Ed., in 17 West's L.S.A.C.C. pp. 379-380 (1972); Note, 22 Tul.L.Rev., supra, at 334. Planiol commented that certain French legislation limited a guest's recovery to 1,000 francs unless he succeeded in proving, without the benefit of any presumption, specifically a fault committed by the innkeeper or one of his agents. Thus, he noted that the innkeeper was not exonerated from the consequences of a proven real fault. 2 M. Planiol, supra, pt. 2, no. 2222 at 280-81. The limitation of liability found in Article 1953, of the French Civil Code is expressly inapplicable when the guest demonstrates his harm resulted from a fault of the innkeeper of his employees. French Civ.Code art. 1953 (J. Crabb transl. 1977). Accordingly, any language to the contrary in previous opinions of this court or of the courts of appeal must be disregarded. E. g., see Pfennig v. Roosevelt Hotel, supra ; Zurich Ins. Co. v. Fairmont Roosevelt Hotel, Inc., 250 So.2d 94 (La.App. 4th Cir.), writ denied, 259 La. 875, 253 So.2d 213 (1971).