Court Opinion

ID: 9609030
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 03:21:28.451104+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:02:48.362019
License: Public Domain

Herd, J.,
dissenting: I respectfully dissent. We have repeatedly held that under K.S.A. 60-258a all parties and issues arising from one incident must be resolved in one action. Teepak, Inc. v. Learned, 237 Kan. 320, 699 P.2d 35 (1985); Albertson v. Volkswagenwerk Aktiengesellschaft, 230 Kan. 368, 634 P.2d 1127 (1981); Eurich v. Alkire, 224 Kan. 236, 237, 579 P.2d 1207 (1978); Brown v. Keill, 224 Kan. 195, 580 P.2d 867 (1978). The majority does not take issue with that principle, but holds dismissal of an action with prejudice, after settlement, is not an adjudication of comparative fault on the merits, thus permitting the maintenance of additional actions arising out of the same incident against other parties. I believe it better law for dismissal with prejudice to be considered a determination of the case on its merits. See Mars v. McDougal, 40 F.2d 247 (10th Cir.), cert. denied 282 U.S. 850 (1930); Pulley v. Chicago, R. I. & P. Rly. Co., 122 Kan. 269, 251 Pac. 1100 (1927); James & Hazard, Civil Procedure § 6.6 (3d ed. 1985).
Ninety percent of all civil cased filed in Kansas are resolved by settlement. In most instances they are dismissed with prejudice. By holding a dismissal with prejudice is not an adjudication on the merits, we leave the action open for further proceedings against other parties. This will have a chilling effect on some settlements. It will also create an unwarranted burden on the *795court system as the same cause of action may be repeatedly filed against different defendants with no final resolution of the action being made.
I would affirm the trial court.
Miller and McFarland, JJ., join the foregoing dissent.