Court Opinion

ID: 9505447
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-06 20:04:56.662834+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:04:28.896750
License: Public Domain

RUCKER, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. The majority chastises the Court of Appeals for what it describes as "creat{ing] a strict compliance rule when it comes to the landlord's notice of damages." Op. at 995. In my view the Court of Appeals has done no such thing. Rather, the court has merely applied longstanding rules of statutory interpretation in reaching its decisions.
The very first step in statutory interpretation is to determine whether the legislature has spoken clearly and unambiguously on the point in question. Rheem Mfg. Co. v. Phelps Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc, 746 N.E.2d 941, 947 (Ind.2001). "When a statute is clear and unambiguous, we need not apply any rules of construction other than to require that words and phrases be taken in their plain, ordinary, and usual sense. Clear and unambiguous statutory meaning leaves no room for judicial construction." Poehlman v. Feferman, 717 N.E.2d 578, 581 (Ind.1999) (citation omitted).
The security deposit statute provides in relevant part:
In case of damage to the rental unit or other obligation against the security deposit, the landlord shall mail to the tenant, within forty-five (45) days after the termination of occupancy, an itemized list of damages claimed for which the security deposit may be used as *998provided in section 13 of this chapter, including the estimated cost for each damaged item and the amounts and lease on which the landlord intends to assess the tenant.,
Ind.Code § 32-7-5-14 1 (emphasis added). This statute is clear, unequivocal, and could not be any more unambiguous: "the landlord shall. ..." We have consistently construed "shall" as obligatory. "When the word 'shall appears in a statute, it is construed as mandatory rather than directory unless it appears clear from the context or the purpose of the statute that the legislature intended a different meaning." United Rural Elec. Membership Corp. v. Ind. & Mich. Elec. Co., 549 N.E.2d 1019, 1022 (Ind.1990); accord Indiana Civil Rights Comm'n v. Indianapolis Newspapers, Inc., 716 N.E.2d 943, 947 (Ind.1999); State ex rel. City of Indianapolis v. Brennan, 231 Ind. 492, 109 N.E.2d 409, 411 (1952).
It is clear to me that the plain language of the statute mandates the landlord to provide an itemized list including the estimated cost of repair for each damaged item within forty-five days. As the Court of Appeals has previously observed, "[the notice provision does not impose a difficult burden on the landlord." Pinnacle Props. v. Squlka, 6983 N.E.2d 101, 104 (Ind.Ct. App.1998), trans. denied. I agree and would insist that the landlord do what our legislature said it must do. In this case, Mr. Turley failed in his obligation to comply with the statute. I therefore dissent and would affirm the trial court.
DICKSON, J., concurs.

. Repealed by Pub.L. No. 2-2002, § 128, effective July 1, 2002. For a similar provision, see Indiana Code section 32-31-3-14, which provides:
Not more than forty-five (45) days after the termination of occupancy, a landlord shall mail to a tenant an itemized list of damages claimed for which the security deposit may be used under section 13 [LC. § 32-31-3-13] of this chapter. The list must set forth:
(1) the estimated cost of repair for each damaged item; and
(2) the amounts and lease on which the landlord intends to assess the tenant. The landlord shall include with the list a check or money order for the difference between the damages claimed and the amount of the security deposit held by the landlord.