Court Opinion

ID: 9537238
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 07:14:43.393629+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:56:12.946680
License: Public Domain

STOWERS, Justice, dissenting. I dissent. The sole issue in this case is whether the issuance of an oversize vehicle permit constitutes the maintenance of a highway. The statutory section in issue is NMSA 1978, Section 41-4-ll(A) (Repl.Pamp.1986) which states in pertinent part: “The immunity granted * * * does not apply to liability for damages * * * caused by the negligence of public employees while acting within the scope of their duties in the maintenance of or for the existence of any bridge, culvert, highway, roadway, street, alley, sidewalk or parking area” (emphasis added). The act in this case was the issuance of a permit. “Issue” is defined in Black’s Law Dictionary 964 (rev. 4th ed. 1968) as “[t]o send forth; * * * [t]o put into circulation * * * to deliver.” “Issue” is defined in Webster’s New World Dictionary, 749 (2d College ed. 1980) as “to give or deal out; distribute.” “Maintenance,” on the other hand, is defined in Black’s Law Dictionary 1106 (rev. 4th ed. 1968) as the “[a]et of maintaining, keeping up” or as “[t]he upkeep, or preserving the condition of property to be operated” (citing Orleans Parish School Bd. v. Murphy, 156 La. 925, 101 So. 268 (1924)). Again, Webster’s New World Dictionary 854 (2d College ed. 1980) defines “maintenance” as “the work of keeping a building, machinery, etc. in a state of good repair.” Does the issuance of a permit constitute the maintenance of a highway? To ask the question is to answer it, and the answer is obviously no. As was pointed out in Cardoza v. Town of Silver City, 96 N.M. 130, 134, 628 P.2d 1126, 1130 (Ct.App.), cert. denied, 96 N.M. 116, 628 P.2d 686 (1981), “ ‘[mjaintenance’ means ‘upkeep and repair’ ” (quoting Clay v. City of Los Angeles, 21 Cal.App.3d 577, 98 Cal.Rptr. 582 (1971)). Further, NMSA 1978, Section 41-4-2(A) (Repl.Pamp.1986) of the Tort Claims Act, entitled “Legislative declaration” states as follows: “Consequently, it is declared to be the public policy of New Mexico that governmental entities and public employees shall only be liable within the limitations of the Tort Claims Act [41-4-1 to 41-4-27 NMSA 1978] and in accordance with the principles established in that act.” (Emphasis added.) To reach the conclusion reached by the majority in this case, we must ignore the clear language used by the Legislature in the statute in question, 41-4-11(A), and we must also ignore the clear meaning of the words used therein. And this, we have repeatedly said, we will not do. For these reasons, I dissent.