Court Opinion

ID: 9535357
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:48:20.923062+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:33:13.721082
License: Public Domain

MESCHKE, Justice,
concurring.
I join the opinion by the Chief Justice. I write separately to point out that NDCC 27-07.1-33 permits, but does not compel, a counterclaim which exceeds the monetary limit of county court jurisdiction. A defendant may choose between various courses for a counterclaim exceeding the limit, even a counterclaim ordinarily deemed compulsory. If the counterclaim is plead, the defendant may require transfer of the entire case to district court. If the defendant does not move to transfer, the “counterclaim must be stricken and the case ... proceed as though no counterclaim ... had been pleaded.” NDCC 27-07.1-33. The statute does not proclaim that a stricken or an unplead counterclaim exceeding the jurisdictional limit will be precluded.
Where a formal barrier existed against full presentation of a claim in the first action, “it is unfair to preclude [a claimant] from a second action in which he can present those phases of the claim which he was disabled from presenting in the first.” Restatement (Second) of Judgments § 26 comment c (1982). See Horton v. White, 254 So.2d 188 (Miss.1971) and 20 Am.Jur.2d Courts § 169 (1965). Klem could not be wholly barred by his failure to make a counterclaim which was in excess of the limited jurisdiction of the county court.