Court Opinion

ID: 9779055
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 21:34:44.418452+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:33:20.325715
License: Public Domain

RAY, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. I would hold that a joint tortfeasor, who settles a plaintiff’s entire claim, may seek contribution from the other parties jointly responsible for the damages to the common plaintiff.
We have not previously considered the contribution rights of a party who settles a plaintiff’s entire claim. The court of appeals suggests that we have in both Bonniwell v. Beech Aircraft Corporation, 663 S.W.2d 816 (Tex.1984) and Duncan v. Cessna Aircraft Company, 665 S.W.2d 414 (Tex.1984), but this is incorrect. •
In Bonniwell, we held that a defendant who settles his liability and obtains a release for himself has no right to thereafter seek contribution. Bonniwell, 663 S.W.2d at 819. The settlement in that instance extinguished the settling party’s contribution rights because the settling defendant bought his peace, not the plaintiff’s entire claim.
Likewise, Duncan did not consider the issue now before us. In Duncan we discussed the effects of partial settlements and the operation of contribution in favor of the non-settling defendant. Duncan, 665 S.W.2d at 429-32. We did not discuss the consequences of a complete settlement, such as we have here, and we have not previously considered the possibility of a settling party preserving contribution rights under common law.
Under the proper circumstances a settling defendant should be permitted contribution. The right to contribution is based in equity. 18 Am.Jur.2d, Contribution, §§ 1 & 5 (1985). Its purpose, whether arising under statute or common law, is to distribute equitably the burden of the common wrong between or among those responsible. This purpose is not offended by permitting a joint tortfeasor, who settles a plaintiff’s entire claim, a right to seek contribution from other alleged joint tort-feasors. The underlying equities are not subverted so long as the nonsettling parties are given the opportunity to litigate their comparative liability and the reasonableness of the settlement figure.
Further, the weight of authority favors permitting a tortfeasor, who settles the plaintiff’s claim, a right to contribution. In the absence of legislation to the contrary, “it is almost invariably held that one who settles without judgment can recover con*23tribution.” W. Keeton, Prosser & Keeton on the Law of Torts, § 50 at 339 (5th ed. 1984). The uniform acts also recognize the right of a tortfeasor, who enters into a reasonable settlement with a claimant, to recover contribution from another tort-feasor whose liability is extinguished by the settlement. Uniform Contribution Among Tortfeasor’s Act (1955), §§ 1(d) and 4(a), 12 U.L.A. at 63, 98 (1975); Uniform Comparative Fault Act (1977), § 4(b), 12 U.L.A. at 45 (West Supp.1987).
A joint tortfeasor need not wait for the injured party to obtain a judgment against him, but can enter into a fair and reasonable compromise with the injured party without endangering his right to contribution provided his joint tortfeasor is also released by the settlement. 3 F. Harper, F. James, Jr. & 0. Gray, The Law of Torts § 10.2 (2d ed. 1986). The tortfeasor from whom contribution is sought is not prejudiced by the fact that judgment has not first been rendered in favor of the person injured because the nonsettling defendant will have his day in court to defend against liability and the reasonableness of the amount paid in settlement of the plaintiff’s original claim. 1 J. Dooley, Modem Tort Law § 26.31 (B. Lindahl ed. 1982 & Supp. 1987).
It is unclear what polices the court furthers by forbidding a settling party any rights to seek contribution. The court suggests that such settlements will not save time or resources, but it seems evident that they will. Assuming the settling defendant has acted reasonably in settling the plaintiff’s claims, how can there not be savings? Surely the court agrees that trying only the secondary contribution claims is less burdensome than trying both the plaintiff’s primary claims and the secondary contribution claims. It also seems more plausible that allowing contribution claims under these circumstances will encourage settlements and result in the speedier resolution of the plaintiff’s claims. Surely the plaintiff would agree that it is less burdensome to be made whole by settlement.
While I agree with the court that the settlement agreement, whether or not incorporated into a judgment, is not the predicate for contribution, I do not agree that the existence of such a settlement should automatically foreclose contribution rights. A direct analogy can be drawn between a complete settlement by one joint tortfeasor and a plaintiff’s election to sue and take judgment against only one of several parties jointly responsible for his injuries. In the latter situation, the payment of the plaintiff’s claim by the defendant singled out for retribution, matures that party’s right to seek contribution. Having paid the plaintiff’s “bill in full," the defendant may then collect contribution from any other party he proves jointly responsible with him for the damage done the common plaintiff. Why then cannot a defendant compromise the plaintiff’s entire claim and pursue a similar right to contribution. Comparing the two situations, I cannot help wondering why this court .wants to force a defendant to litigate a suit he might otherwise be inclined to settle.
I would reverse the judgment of the court of appeals and remand the cause for trial.
GONZALEZ J., joins in this dissenting opinion.