Court Opinion

ID: 9633525
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 11:50:43.905062+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:54:29.893256
License: Public Domain

EDMONDS, J.,
Dissenting. — To me, it seems anomalous that a minor, who the law declares is incapable of making a contract, is bound by a statute requiring, as a condition precedent to bringing suit against a county, that a claim be filed within a limited period. Such a conclusion, in my opinion, may be reached only by ignoring fundamental rules of statutory construction.
Statutes should be given a reasonable interpretation consistent with the dictates of justice, and courts have adhered to the rule that the Legislature’s intention will not be presumed to include harsh or absurd consequences unless the language is so clear as to admit of no doubt (Civ. Code, § 3542; San Joaquin, etc., Irr. Co. v. Stevinson, 164 Cal. 221 [128 P. 924] ; Uhl v. Badaracco, 199 Cal. 270 [248 P. 917]; Helping Hand Home v. County of San Diego, 26 Cal.App.2d *337452 [79 P.2d 778] ; 23 Cal.Jur. 722). Furthermore, statutes, although general in terms, are deemed to have been enacted with full recognition of well established rules of law and the settled public policy of the state (23 Cal.Jur. 784), and a construction of them as containing exceptions in conformity with such rules of law or public policy, does not amount to judicial legislation.
From time immemorial the legal status of infants has been recognized as singular, and because of their tender years and lack of understanding the law has refused to hold them to the same accountability as adults. In many situations comparable to the present one, special exceptions in favor of infants have been made by the Legislature and the courts. For example, statutes of limitations do not run against the claim of an infant until he attains his majority. (§§ 328, 352, 1272, Code Civ. Proc.) An infant cannot be guilty of loches (21 C.J. 241, cases cited n. 65). The doctrine of estoppel has no application to minors (Estate of Hill, 67 Cal. 238 [7 P. 664].) A minor under the age of 18 years cannot make a contract relating to real property (§ 33, Civ. Code), and many other agreements entered into by an infant may be disaffirmed by him either before his majority or within a reasonable time thereafter (§34, Civ. Code.) And children under the age of 14 are deemed incapable of committing crimes in the absence of clear proof that at the time of committing the act charged against them, they were aware of its wrongfulness (§ 26, Pen. Code).
Accordingly, a strong minority of courts have taken the position that, in view of the various exemptions from liability accorded infants by the law, the Legislature, in enacting statutes requiring the presentation of claims or notice as a condition precedent to suits against municipal corporations, did not intend by its general language to include a class of persons which the law recognizes as lacking responsibility. By certain of these decisions, all minors, irrespective of age and without regard to their physical and mental capacity, have been exempted from the operation of such statutes. (McDonald v. City of Spring Talley, 285 Ill. 52 [120 N.E. 476, 2 A.L.R. 1359] ; Doerr v. City of Freeport, 239 Ill.App. 560; Costello v. City of Aurora, 295 Ill.App. 510 [15 N.E.2d 38].) Other courts have extended the exception only to those infants of tender years who do not possess sufficient intelligence and understanding to be able to comprehend and comply with the *338requirements of the statute. (Lazich v. Belanger, 111 Mont. 48 [105 P.2d 738]; City of Tulsa v. Wells, 79 Okla. 39 [191 P. 186].)
Still a third view is taken by the New York courts. In that state, as a matter of law, the statutory requirement of notice is not enforced against an immature infant of 10 years of age or less. But it is applied to the cause of action of a minor over 16 years of age, and it is for the jury to determine whether a minor between the ages of 10 and 16 has sufficient mental and physical capacity to be able to comply with the statute. (Murphy v. Village of Fort Edward, 213 N.Y. 397 [107 N.E. 716, Ann.Cas. 1916C, 1040] ; Russo v. City of New York, 258 N.Y. 344 [179 N.E. 762]; Yablonsky v. City of New York, 128 Misc. 469 [219 N.Y.S. 121]; Adonnino v. Village of Mount Morris, 12 N.Y.S.2d 658; Briggs v. Village of Peekskill, 16 N.Y.S.2d 873. See cases collected in 31 A.L.R. 619; 59 A.L.R. 411; 109 A.L.R. 975; and McQuillan, Municipal Corporations, 2d ed., vol. 6, § 2893.)
Under the reasoning of the decisions following the minority doctrine, section 4075 of the Political Code, when considered in connection with the rules of law excepting infants from the legal responsibility imposed upon adults, must be held inapplicable to minors of such immaturity as to be mentally incapable of complying with its terms. The requirement of notice to the city authorities presupposes the existence of an individual capable of giving it. There are numerous cases holding that the failure to give notice or to file a claim as required by statute, does not bar recovery against the city for negligence when the injured person is unable to act within the statutory period by reason of physical or mental inability, and particularly when the inability arises from the very act of negligence for which the city is sought to be held responsible. Under such circumstances, the requirement of notice is excused pending the existence of the disability. (Webster v. City of Beaver Dam, 84 P. 280; City and County of Denver v. Taylor, 88 Colo. 89 [292 P. 594, 72 A.L.R. 833]; Randolph v. City of Springfield, 302 Mo. 33 [257 S.W. 449]; Forsyth v. City of Oswego, 191 N.Y. 441 [84 N.E. 392, 123 Am.St.Rep. 605]; Williams v. City of Port Chester, 72 App.Div. 505 [76 N.Y.S. 631]; Terrell v. City of Washington, 158 N.C. 281 [73 S.E. 888]; 31 A.L.R. 619; contra, Johnson v. City of Glendale, 12 Cal.App.2d 389 [55 P.2d 580]; Wicklund v. Plymouth E. School Dist., 37 Cal.App.2d *339252 [99 P.2d 314].) To hold the statute applicable to minors who have not reached the age of understanding, or to those mentally unable to comprehend the requirements of the statute, would in effect result in depriving them of the right of action given them by the statute. Section 4075 of the Political Code, by its terms, makes no provision for the filing of a claim by a person on behalf of another and, if it did, an infant has no power to appoint an agent. (§ 33, Civ. Code.) The parent is the natural guardian of the child, as such, but he has no control over the minor’s property. However, assuming that the parent or guardian of the minor is empowered to file the claim in his behalf, the cause of action should not depend upon the act of a parent, guardian or self-constituted next friend. Indeed, the negligence of the parents in omitting to give the required notice cannot be imputed to the child. (Zarzana v. Neve Drug Co., 180 Cal. 32 [179 P. 203, 15 A.L.R 401]; 19 Cal.Jur. 662.)
The purpose of the statutes requiring the giving of notice is to protect the municipality against fraud arising out of stale claims. This purpose is not served by a strict enforcement of the statute against those incapacitated from giving notice within the time specified, and the statute may not be reasonably construed as requiring that to be done which the claimant is wholly incapable of doing.
The fact that the Legislature has met several times since District Courts of Appeal decided that a minor must comply with a claims statute general in terms and has not amended the law should not, I believe, be considered an acceptance of that construction by the law making body. Por a court to base its determination upon a legislative failure to act is to disregard realities. (See Toucey v. New York Life Ins. Co., 314 U.S. 118, 139-140 [62 S.Ct. 139, 86 L.Ed. 100, 137 A.L.R 967]; Helvering v. Hallock, 309 U.S. 106, 119-121 [60 S.Ct. 444, 84 L.Ed. 604, 125 A.L.R. 1368].)
For these reasons, I believe that, in accordance with the legislative policy of this state to protect the rights of minors generally, section 4075 of the Political Code should be interpreted as inapplicable to infants mentally and physically unable to comprehend or comply with its terms. Whether the particular infant plaintiff has reached the age of understanding to comply with the statute is a question of fact which should be determined by the jury in connection with the other issues presented in each case.
*340Applying this rule to the facts of the present case, the complaint discloses that the appellant was 16 years of age at the time of the commencement of the action, but it contains no allegation that he was of such immature age and lacked such mental capacity as to be unable to know or take cognizance of the requirements of the law, or to comply with the statutory mandate concerning the filing of a claim with the county. This allegation is essential to the statement of a cause of action. However, the appellant should have been afforded an opportunity to supply this deficiency, and it was error for the trial court to sustain the demurrer without leave to amend.
Traynor, J., concurred.