Court Opinion

ID: 9560923
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 17:59:19.05088+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:13:20.469621
License: Public Domain

Dolliver, J.
(dissenting) — Like Julia, in Burkhart v. Harrod, 110 Wn.2d 381, 755 P.2d 759 (1988), the court whispered, "I will ne'er consent". Now, like Julia, it has consented. As is so many times the case in contemporary society, the court chooses to use as its vehicle for significant doctrinal change the presumed welfare of persons under the age of majority. In doing so, the court completely disconnects itself from its previous analysis of the duty of care for a social host who serves alcohohc beverages.
The underpinnings for Burkhart, which rested upon the belief that (1) the Legislature had effectively preempted the field relative to all aspects of alcohohc beverages (Burkhart, at 390 (quoting Settlemyer v. Wilmington Veterans Post 49, Am. Legion, Inc., 11 Ohio St. 3d 123, 127, 464 N.E.2d 521 (1984))), and (2) the "judiciary is ill equipped" to impose social host liability, have been scuttled. Burkhart, 110 Wn.2d at 388. While the analysis of the majority moves briskly to the point and suggests considerable authority as it imposes a duty on a social host relative to minors, it is idle to infer the Legislature in enacting RCW 66.44.270(1) (Laws of 1933, 1st Ex. Sess., ch. 62, § 37(1), p. 193) somehow thought it was imposing a duty of care, actionable in tort, for a social host who serves liquor to minors; or that nearly 60 years hence that duty would be discovered by this court.
I have consistently held to the belief that without legislative mandate no tort action should He against a host, either commercial (Dickinson v. Edwards, 105 Wn.2d 457, 482, 486, 716 P.2d 814 (1986) (Callow, J., dissenting; Durham, J., *487dissenting)) or social (Burkhart v. Harrod, supra) (but see Young v. Caravan Corp., 99 Wn.2d 655, 663 P.2d 834, 672 P.2d 1267 (1983)), and continue to do so. Nothing which has occurred in the months since Burkhart persuades me otherwise. Furthermore, the Legislature has failed to act. Nonetheless, the majority, apparently transfixed by the facts before it and harboring a belief that "youth must be served", has determined it can and, indeed, should "take on a more creative role in usurping powers of [the Legislature]." Burkhart, 110 Wn.2d at 390. This is an odd way to maintain continuity in the law and surely does little to engender respect.
Thus, given the action of the court today, I do not believe it can any longer, with integrity, maintain its previous position. To do so would be a transparent charade. Although I dissent here, it seems more than likely that in the next case involving a social host the court will declare the doctrine of social host immunity has ceased to exist in this state and hold there is a duty by any social host toward those to whom the host has furnished alcoholic beverages. Christen v. Lee, 113 Wn.2d 479, 510, 780 P.2d 1307 (1989) (Utter, J., concurring in part, dissenting in part); Burkhart, 110 Wn.2d at 391 (Utter, J., concurring); Recent Cases, Negligence — Social Host Liability — Social Hosts Not Liable for Accidents Caused by Intoxicated Guests. — Burkhart v. Harrod, 110 Wash. 2d 381, 755 P.2d 759 (1988), 102 Harv. L. Rev. 549 (1988-1989).
Dore, C.J., and Durham and Guy, JJ., concur with DolLIVER, J.
Reconsideration denied April 7, 1992.