Opinion ID: 882451
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Did the District Court err in granting summary judgment to C. Ed Laws individually on the wrongful discharge claim?

Text: As noted above, the District Court denied summary judgment to the County and Laws on their § 2-9-111, MCA, immunity argument, concluding, as to Laws, that he was not an agent of the board of county commissioners. The court went on to determine that, as an elected officer of the County, Laws was an agent of the County acting within the scope of his authority; on this basis, it granted summary judgment to Laws individually on Kenyon's wrongful discharge claim. We agree with the grant of summary judgment to Laws, but for reasons different from those stated by the District Court. Governmental entities in Montana are subject to liability for their own wrongful conduct and that of their employees acting within the scope of their duties. Section 2-9-102, MCA (1987). For purposes of the liability statutes, elected county officials are employees of the county. Section 2-9-101, MCA (1987). Absent consideration of exceptions not at issue here, where an action is brought against a county based on actionable conduct by an employee, the employee is immune from individual liability for the conduct if the county acknowledges that the conduct arose out of the course and scope of the employee's official duties. Section 2-9-305, MCA (1987). This is precisely the situation before us. Kenyon's action is based on Laws' act of discharging her as his secretary when he became full-time County Attorney for Stillwater County. As an elected official, it is clear that Laws is an employee of the County for liability purposes under Montana statutes. Further-more, both Laws and the county commissioners agree that Laws was acting within the scope of his official duties as County Attorney when he discharged Kenyon. The County was named as a defendant on the basis of its liability for Laws' conduct within the scope of his duties under § 2-9-102, MCA (1987). Given the acknowledgement by the commissioners that the conduct on which the action is based arose out of the course and scope of Laws' official duties, it is clear that Laws himself is immune from liability under § 2-9-305(5), MCA (1987). While the District Court reached the same result via a different analysis, we will uphold a court ruling if it is correct, regardless of the reasons given below for the result. District No. 55 v. Musselshell County (1990), 245 Mont. 525, 802 P.2d 1252. We hold, therefore, that the District Court did not err in granting summary judgment to C. Ed Laws individually on the wrongful discharge claim.