Court Opinion

ID: 9668458
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 02:15:47.015168+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:45.580874
License: Public Domain

SHIRLEY S. ABRAHAMSON, J.
{concurring). I agree that the decision of the court of appeals should be affirmed. I conclude that when the sovereign sues, the *679defendant may assert a recoupment defense. The defense must arise out of the same transaction or occurrence which is the subject matter of the government's action. The defendant may claim relief only to the extent of reducing or defeating the government's claim; the defendant may not obtain a judgment against the government which is affirmative in the sense of involving relief different in kind or nature from that sought by the government or in the sense of exceeding the amount of the government's claim. In other words, by presenting a claim, the state subjects itself to diminution of recovery by way of recoupment. This reasoning has been used in numerous federal and state courts. See, e.g., Frederick v. United States, 386 F.2d 481, 488 (5th Cir. 1967); Ruppenthal v. State, 849 P.2d 1316, 1321 (Wyo. 1993); State v. Hogg, 535 A.2d 923, 930 (Md. 1988), and cases cited therein. See also 6 Charles Alan Wright, Arthur R. Miller, and Mary Kay Kane, Federal Practice and Procedure: Civil sec. 1427 at 197-200 (2d ed. 1990).