Court Opinion

ID: 9721056
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 08:47:23.497776+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:23.182246
License: Public Domain

BROWN (H. C.), J.,* Dissenting.
I agree that the mere referral of a patient to a California physician is insufficient to subject the out-of-state clinic to the jurisdiction of the California courts. Here, however, petitioner has subjected itself to jurisdiction by causing an “effect” in the state by an act or omission which occurred in Washington. (See Quattrone v. Superior Court (1975) 44 Cal.App.3d 296, 303 [118 Cal.Rptr. 548].)
Petitioner treated plaintiff Brett Lewis for two years before referring him to the San Francisco specialists. There are indications in the record that the reference by petitioner had the possible dual purpose of assisting the patient to recover from glaucoma and, at the same time, attempting to avoid the effects of its negligence in making a proper examination of the optic disc, which examination would have revealed the extent of progress of the glaucoma and led to earlier treatment of the condition. Dr. Richter, in his deposition, made statements that could be construed as admissions that the treatment he had rendered Brett did not meet the standard of care rendered by physicians in that community.
I feel justified in basing the refusal to quash the service of process upon the evidence that the petitioner has caused an effect in the State of California by these acts and omissions in the State of Washington. It *556cannot be ascertained now whether the evidence at trial will establish a failure to follow established standards of care by either the Spokane Eye Clinic or the San Francisco physicians. However, the admission of Dr. Richter, and the deposition testimony of the San Francisco physicians relative to the delay in referring Brett to San Francisco for care constitute sufficient bases to conclude, for the purposes of ruling on this petition, that petitioner has caused an effect in the state by its omission in Washington. Its treatment of Brett Lewis and the delayed referral of him for further treatment in this state are, if established, substantial contributing factors to the injury sued upon in California.
“Under Code of Civil Procedure section. 410.10, a California court may exercise jurisdiction over nonresidents on any basis not inconsistent with the United States or California Constitutions. This section manifests an intent to exercise the broadest possible jurisdiction, limited only by constitutional considerations. [Citations.] As a general constitutional principle, a court may exercise personal jurisdiction over a nonresident individual so long as he has such minimal contacts with the state that \ .. the maintenance of the suit does not offend “traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice.” ’ [Citations.]” (Sibley v. Superior Court (1976) 16 Cal.3d 442, 445 [128 Cal.Rptr. 34, 546 P.2d 322].)
I feel that the maintenance of the action in California does not offend traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice. Further, the exercise of such jurisdiction is reasonable, a requirement pointed to in Sibley v. Superior Court, supra, at pages 443, 446, 447. (See also Internat. Shoe Co. v. Washington (1945) 326 U.S. 310 [90 L.Ed. 95, 66 S.Ct. 154, 161 A.L.R. 1057]; Hanson v. Denckla (1958) 357 U.S. 235 [2 L.Ed.2d 1283, 78 S.Ct. 1228].)
In referring Brett Lewis to the San Francisco specialists, petitioner committed its patient to physicians and facilities whose standards are set and enforced under California law. This purposeful invocation of the protection of California law satisfies the first requirement for a determination that jurisdiction would be “reasonable.”
I believe also, contrary to the majority view, that Cornelison v. Chaney (1976) 16 Cal.3d 143, 148 [127 Cal.Rptr. 352, 545 P.2d 264], supports a holding that the California courts have jurisdiction under the facts presently before us. The considerations referred to in Cornelison, as applicable in determining “fairness,” favor jurisdiction here, i.e., “the *557relative availability of evidence and the burden of defense and prosecution in one place rather than another; the interest of a state in providing a forum for its residents or regulating the business involved; the ease of access to an alternative forum; the avoidance of a multiplicity of suits and conflicting adjudications; and the extent to which the cause of action arose out of defendant’s local activities.” (Cornelison v. Chaney, supra, at p. 151.)
These considerations weigh heavily toward the conclusion that jurisdiction in California is reasonable. Here, the representatives of the minor Brett Lewis claim that his loss of sight was caused both by the delay by the Washington physicians and by the treatment and surgery by the San Francisco physicians at St. Mary’s Hospital. Petitioner and the San Francisco physicians each claim that it was negligence of the other which was responsible for the end result. It would seem obvious that in a situation where each of two parties attributes a poor result to the activities of the other, the issue should be resolved in one action. It would also seem obvious that the most convenient place for the trial of the action on the merits is in San Francisco where the operation was performed and where the hospital records are kept and the operating physicians reside. I would therefore conclude that in light of the petitioner’s purposeful referral of its patient to this state and the obvious advantages of disposing of the plaintiff’s claim in one case, jurisdiction in California is both fair and reasonable.
The majority points to the fact that Dr. Richter is already a named defendant and proper service was effected upon him in California, and that “the plaintiffs cannot be whipsawed” between conflicting claims of two assertedly negligent medical teams. The mere fact that petitioner might be available to satisfy a judgment and that one of its doctors may be available as a witness does not eliminate practicable advantages of having the Spokane Eye Clinic and the other treating physicians named as defendants. Discovery procedures would be facilitated. The totality of evidence would be presented in one action and a judgment could then be rendered for or against all parties involved.
I also do not share the opinion of the majority that the assumption of jurisdiction would tend to discourage the referral of patients to California by out-of-state physicians. I cannot believe that a physician looking for the appropriate specialist to refer his patient to will pause to consider whether to subject himself to the possibility of suit in *558California. The risk of suit here would arise only if the out-of-state physician had so treated the patient as to make the physician a substantial factor in causing a harmful effect to his patient while in California. Any ethical doctor who thought he had properly treated his patient would make his referral decision based upon the needs of the patient, not upon the highly speculative chance he would be called upon to defend suit in California.
I would discharge the alternative writ and deny the petition for writ of mandate.
A petition for a rehearing was denied December 10, 1976, and the petition of the real parties in interest for a hearing by the Supreme Court was denied Januaiy 5, 1977.

Retired Associate Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting under assignment by the Chairman of the Judicial Council.