Opinion ID: 1818119
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Pre-suit requirements.

Text: ¶ 18. Simply stated, Section 11-1-58 requires the attorney representing a person contemplating a lawsuit against a healthcare provider to: (1) perform certain acts prior to filing suit, and (2) when the suit is filed, attach a certificate to the complaint declaring that the required acts were performed. Miss.Code Ann. § 11-1-58 (Supp. 2007). ¶ 19. As stated, pre-suit requirements are clearly within the purview of the Legislature, and do not encroach upon this Court's rule-making responsibility. Indeed, we consistently have held that the Legislature has authority to establish presuit requirements as a condition precedent to filing particular kinds of lawsuits. [5] For instance, the Legislature promulgated, and we have enforced, Section 11-46-11(1), which requires that notice be provided to the putative defendant prior to bringing a claim under the Mississippi Tort Claims Act Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-11(1) (Rev. 2002). Similarly, the Legislature promulgated, and we have enforced, Section 15-1-36(15)'s requirement of notice prior to bringing a medical-negligence claim. Miss.Code Ann. § 15-1-36(15) (Rev.2003); see e.g. Arceo v. Tolliver, 949 So.2d 691, 693-97 (Miss.2006) (strictly construing and applying statute which requires plaintiffs to give notice before commencing a medical negligence action). ¶ 20. Accordingly, we do not today address or question the enforceability of Section 11-1-58's presuit requirements. However, we are not told whether those requirements were met. The record reveals only that, initially, the plaintiff failed to attach a certificate, but later filed a certificate and sought to amend the complaint. The certificate does not indicate whether Wimley's attorney consulted with the expert prior to, or after, filing the complaint. If the former, then Wimley is in compliance with the enforceable portion of Section 11-1-58. If the latter, then the pretrial statutory requirement was not met, and the trial court should dismiss the complaint without prejudice. ¶ 21. Accordingly, we reverse the trial court's order and remand this matter for a hearing to determine whether the presuit requirements were met. ¶ 22. REVERSED AND REMANDED. SMITH, C.J., CARLSON, RANDOLPH AND LAMAR, JJ., CONCUR. DIAZ, P.J., CONCURS IN RESULT ONLY. GRAVES, J., CONCURS IN PART. EASLEY, J., CONCURS IN PART AND IN RESULT ONLY. RANDOLPH, J. SPECIALLY CONCURS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION, JOINED BY SMITH, C.J., CARLSON, DICKINSON AND LAMAR, JJ. WALLER, P.J., CONCURS IN PART AND DISSENTS IN PART WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION JOINED IN PART BY DIAZ, P.J., EASLEY AND GRAVES, JJ.