Court Opinion

ID: 9583530
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:39:33.422355+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:39:03.574251
License: Public Domain

VANDE WALLE, Justice,
concurring specially.
In Hopkins v. McBane, 427 N.W.2d 85, 95 (N.D.1988), in a special concurrence, I stated that “[ojrdinarily the Legislature should enact legislation if there is to be a substantial change in our law in order that the various consequences of such a change may be considered and discussed through the legislative study and hearing process and in order that the precipitous change resulting from a judicial decision in a particular case may be avoided.” Hopkins, supra, VandeWalle, J., concurring Specialty-
Consistent with that statement, I today agree with the majority that the Legislature should enact legislation establishing a child’s cause of action for loss of parental consortium if such a cause of action is to be created. I do not agree that the ten reasons specified in an annotation at 69 A.L.R.3d 528, repeated in 11 A.L.R.4th 549, are necessarily reasons why the Legislature should not adopt a cause of action for loss of parental consortium.
In Hastings v. James River Aerie No. 2337, Etc., 246 N.W.2d 747, 753 (N.D.1976), the court observed that the annotation “cites ten reasons why such an action short of specific legislation providing for same should not be allowed.” (emphasis supplied). I am not convinced that all ten reasons are valid reasons why this court should not adopt such a cause of action. I am less convinced they are valid reasons why the Legislature should not enact such a cause of action. Plainly stated, I disagree that all 10 reasons are valid reasons why such a cause of action should not be allowed. When juxtaposed against the right of parents to recover for loss of consortium of their child, the lack of a concurrent cause of action for loss of parental consortium is reminiscent of a time and practice not to be emulated when children were considered chattels, the property of the parents, their prime purpose to produce income and provide for the parents.
Thus, while adhering to the proposition that the Legislature should establish the cause of action for loss of parental consortium, I do not want our opinion to be used before the Legislature as a reason against the enactment of that action. In all other respects, I agree with the majority opinion.