Opinion ID: 896145
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Summary Judgment Dismissal of the District

Text: [¶ 14] The trial court granted summary judgment dismissal of Gessner's action against the District, concluding: [N]o evidence has been presented that the Ward County Water Management District has exercised control or direction over the flood control improvements within the City of Minot since 1982. Neither has it been demonstrated that the Ward County Water Management District has retained any ability to control or otherwise supervise the City of Minot's actions. .... It appears that the supervision of the Corps of Engineers is limited to maintenance and upkeep. No evidence has been presented [t]hat the Ward County Water Management District has such authority. [¶ 15] We review the court's dismissal of Gessner's claim against the District under the summary judgment standards of N.D.R.Civ.P. 56. Summary judgment is a procedure for deciding an action without a trial when there are no genuine disputes as to either the material facts or the inferences to be drawn from the undisputed facts, or if resolving the disputed facts would not change the result. Pechtl v. Conoco, Inc., 1997 ND 161, ¶ 6, 567 N.W.2d 813. When considering a motion for summary judgment, the evidence must be viewed in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion, who must be given the benefit of all favorable inferences which can be reasonably drawn from the evidence. Stanley v. Turtle Mountain Gas & Oil, 1997 ND 169, ¶ 6, 567 N.W.2d 345. [¶ 16] The complaint alleges the District knew children were regularly attracted to the flood control structure located adjacent to a city park, and the District knew or should have known the structure created an unreasonable risk of serious harm to members of the public, especially children, and knew or should have known that children, because of their age, would not realize the seriousness of the risk. The complaint further alleges the District negligently failed to warn the public of the existence of the dangerous condition of the structure, failed to construct a barrier to prevent children from entering the structure, and failed to warn of the dangerous condition or to eliminate the danger by installing guardrails or other protection. [¶ 17] In Mikkelson v. Risovi, 141 N.W.2d 150, 154 (N.D.1966), the court applied the principles set forth in Reinstatement, Second, Torts § 339: § 339. Artificial Conditions Highly Dangerous to Trespassing Children A possessor of land is subject to liability for physical harm to children trespassing thereon caused by an artificial condition upon the land if (a) the place where the condition exists is one upon which the possessor knows or has reason to know that children are likely to trespass, and (b) the condition is one of which the possessor knows or has reason to know and which he realizes or should realize will involve an unreasonable risk of death or serious bodily harm to such children, and (c) the children because of their youth do not discover the condition or realize the risk involved in intermeddling with it or in coming within the area made dangerous by it, and (d) the utility to the possessor of maintaining the condition and the burden of eliminating the danger are slight as compared with the risk to children involved, and (e) the possessor fails to exercise reasonable care to eliminate the danger or otherwise to protect the children. In 1971, the District agreed to sponsor the construction of the flood control structure by the Corps of Engineers. In undertaking that responsibility the District agreed to hold and save harmless the United States from any damages due to construction of the project and to maintain and operate the improvement after its completion. When the structure was completed in 1981, the District accepted responsibility for operation and maintenance of the structure. [¶ 18] The District also has a statutory responsibility for the structure and authority to take whatever action it deems necessary in that regard: When dams constructed by federal agency under control of district. Any dam, dike, or other water control device or flood control project constructed by or with the assistance of any federal agency but which is not maintained or operated by any federal agency shall become the responsibility of the district where it is located. The district may take any action concerning this dam, dike, or other water control device it deems feasible or necessary. N.D.C.C. § 61-16.1-40. [¶ 19] From admissions in the District's brief, one could infer the District, prior to accepting operation and maintenance responsibilities in 1981, had knowledge of facts the structure constituted an unreasonably dangerous hazard for children: On June 22, 1977, DeeAnn Berry fell from the flood control structure.... This drowning was fully investigated by the Minot Police Department.... .... In addition to being aware of the 1977 drowning, Minot was generally aware of the dangers the flood control structures presented. Minot was aware particularly that children would sometimes play near the structures, and had explored the possibilities of precautions, such as a fence around the structure.... Minot further issued repeated warnings about the dangers that the flood control works presented. .... [T]he alleged safety defects at the site from which Cory fell were open and obvious, at least insofar as Minot was concerned.... This was known as early as 1977 when a drowning occurred at the same site. If in 1977 Minot knew or should have known the obvious and unreasonable risk of danger this structure presented to children, there is at least an inference the District, who, in 1981, assumed total responsibility for maintenance and operation, should also have known of the obvious risk and danger. The District asserts, however, it had no control of the structure or responsibility for the public safety after the city assumed operation and maintenance of the structure in February 1982. [¶ 20] There has been no development of facts on this record as to who has legal title to this flood control structure or who has such control or authority to be considered a possessor of the structure and adjacent land. The facts might show Minot was acting as an agent of the District in operating and maintaining the flood control structure, and the District, as Minot's principal, is vicariously liable for any negligence by Minot in performing that undertaking. The District receives periodic reports of the city's operation and maintenance activities, from which a factfinder could also infer the District retained control and responsibility for the structure. Once developed, the facts might also show the flood structure was negligently designed, causing an unreasonable risk of harm to children, and the District negligently breached its duty as sponsor of the project by failing to eliminate the risk. [¶ 21] Although the question of whether a defendant owes a duty is generally a preliminary question of law for the court, when the existence of a duty depends upon the resolution of factual issues, those facts must be resolved by the trier of fact. Pechtl v. Conoco, Inc., 1997 ND 161, ¶ 7, 567 N.W.2d 813. We conclude there are genuine issues of material fact regarding the District's authority to control the flood structure at the time of the victim's death and regarding its duty, or lack thereof, to provide a structure free from unreasonable risk of harm to children in accordance with the Restatement Section 339. There are numerous factual questions which could potentially result in either direct or vicarious liability by the District on Gessner's claims. These unresolved factual issues preclude a determination, as a matter of law, that the District has no liability in this case. We hold, therefore, the district court erred in granting the District's motion for summary judgment dismissal. [¶ 22] We affirm the district court's order dismissing the City of Minot as a party defendant, we reverse the district court's order dismissing the District as a party defendant, and we remand for a trial on the merits against the District. [¶ 23] SANDSTROM, NEUMANN and MARING, JJ., concur.