Court Opinion

ID: 9555963
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-15 18:09:32.906758+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:36:28.245612
License: Public Domain

STATE OF LOUISIANA

        COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

CARMEN    NICHOLAS                                                                NO.     2023 CW       0365

VERSUS

TERRY    L.    BONNIE                                                            AUGUST         14,    2023

In Re:          Terry         L.    Bonnie,    applying            for     supervisory          writs,      19th
                Judicial            District    Court,          Parish       of    East     Baton       Rouge,
               No.    616866.

BEFORE:        GUIDRY,         C.J., LANIER,          HESTER,         GREENE AND MILLER,                JJ.

        WRIT    GRANTED.             The     trial     court's           March     17,     2023       judgment
denying        defendant's                exception           of     peremption            is     reversed.
Plaintiff's          petition         was     filed    after         the     three-year          peremptive
period    for    a    legal         malpractice        action.             La.    R.S.     9:5605.          Once
peremption       occurred,             plaintiff's             claim       was    destroyed           and     the
2014     consent           judgment          purporting             to      establish           defendant's
liability could not                  revive    the    extinguished claim.                   Cf.       Naghi v.
Brener,       2008-2527 (           La.     6/26/09),          17    So.3d        919 (    holding       where
expiration       of       the       peremptive       period          for    legal       malpractice           had
destroyed       the       cause      of    action     there         was    nothing        for    an    amended
petition to          relate back to).                Further,         the    2014       consent       judgment
granted        only       a        partial     summary             judgment        on     the     issue        of
liability.           As    such,      it was    not       a    final       judgment       that    would bar
defendant        from          raising        the     exception             of     peremption.                See
Schilling       v.        Bernhard         Bros .    Mech.          Contractors           LLC,    2012- 210 5
 La.    App.    1st       Cir.       9/13/13),       186       So.3d       658,    665,     writ       denied,
2013-2378 (       La.         12/6/13),        129        So.3d       537.          Accordingly,              the
exception       of    peremption           filed     by       defendant,         Terry     L.    Bonnie,       is
granted and the               claims      asserted against               him by plaintiff,              Carmen
Nicholas,       are dismissed with prejudice .

                                                      JMG

                                                     WIL
                                                     CHH
                                                      HG

        Miller,      J.,      dissents and would deny the writ.

COURT    OF APPEAL,           FIRST CIRCUIT

       DEPUTY CLERK OF COURT
              FOR THE      COURT