Court Opinion

ID: 2963519
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2015-09-21 21:11:24.816057+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:01:46.017689
License: Public Domain

USCA1 Opinion

	

                            UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

                                FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT

                                 ____________________

          No. 94-2184

                                   KATHLEEN NUCCIO,

                                Plaintiff - Appellant,

                                          v.

                                     LUKE NUCCIO,

                                Defendant - Appellee.

                                 ____________________

                     APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

                              FOR THE DISTRICT OF MAINE

                     [Hon. David M. Cohen, U.S. Magistrate Judge]
                                           _____________________

                                 ____________________

                                        Before

                                Boudin, Circuit Judge,
                                        _____________

                        John R. Gibson,* Senior Circuit Judge,
                                         ____________________

                              and Stahl, Circuit Judge.
                                         _____________

                                _____________________

               Toby  H.  Hollander,  with  whom  Law  Offices  of  Toby  H.
               ___________________               __________________________
          Hollander was on brief for appellant.
          _________
               David  P. Very  with whom  Peter J.  DeTroy III  and Norman,
               ______________             ____________________      _______
          Hanson & DeTroy were on brief for appellee.
          _______________

                                 ____________________

                                    June 27, 1996
                                 ____________________

                              
          ____________________

          *  Of the Eighth Circuit, sitting by designation.

                      Per Curiam.   In  our opinion of  August 9,  1995, we
                      __________

          certified  to the  Supreme Judicial  Court of  Maine pursuant  to

          Maine Revised  Statute, 4 M.R.S.A.    57 (1989), the  question of

          whether the facts in this case provide a basis to apply equitable

          estoppel  so as  to toll  the statute  of limitations  during the

          period of plaintiff's repressed memory.  We retained jurisdiction

          of this appeal pending determination of the issues. 

                    We certified this question: 

                    Does a showing that a  plaintiff, who was the
                    victim  of childhood  sexual abuse,  suffered
                    repressed memory as a result of a defendant's
                    threats  of  violence and  generally  violent
                    nature,  her witnessing  acts of  violence by
                    the defendant, and her fear of the defendant,
                    provide  a  basis  for  the  application   of
                    equitable estoppel so  as effectively to toll
                    the statute of limitations  during the period
                    that   the   plaintiff's    memories   remain
                    repressed?

                      The opinion of the Supreme Judicial Court of Maine of

          April  8,  1996,  has answered  this  question  in the  negative,

          stating that if Kathleen suffered repressed memory as a result of

          the previously imposed violent conduct,  as she claims, this does

          not at this  time equitably estop Luke from  invoking the statute

          of limitations.

                      Accordingly,  we affirm  the  order granting  summary
                                       ______

          judgment  in favor  of Luke  Nuccio on  the basis that  the Maine

          statute of limitations barred Kathleen Nuccio's suit.

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