Court Opinion

ID: 9681048
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 07:43:06.488324+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:31.972618
License: Public Domain

STEPHENS, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent.
I concur with the decision of the majority in reversing the decision of the Court of Appeals with respect to remanding this case for a jury trial on the issue of proximate cause. Deutsch v. Shein, Ky., 597 S.W.2d 141 (1980).
However, I part company with the majority in its refusal to apply the parental immunity doctrine.
To begin with, in Rigdon v. Rigdon, Ky., 465 S.W.2d 921 (1971), this court abrogated the doctrine of parental immunity with two major exceptions. In the opinion of the court, in that case, we gave an excellent summary of the historical background of the doctrine of parental immunity as a premise for the decision to change the rule. After studying the opinion, I have concluded that the Court drew the wrong conclusion for its decision and should have continued the rule. The disruption of the unique personal and emotional relationships within the family caused by this type of lawsuit results in far more damage than benefit. It goes without saying that the potential for fraud and collusion in such litigation is another compelling reason to decry the abolition of this salutary and wholesome doctrine. I would overrule Rigdon.
Moreover, I believe the majority’s adoption of the narrow, Wisconsin view of the two exceptions set out in Rigdon is *73erroneous. I have no difficulty in applying one of the exceptions to the facts in the present case.
Todd Horn was on the highway in response to actions and suggestions of his father. He had been assisting his father with farm work until after dark. His father directed him to ride the off-the-road motorbike on the public road at night. He instructed Todd how, where and when to drive the bike. When Todd did this, he was responding to parental authority, which is, of course, the first exception set out in Rigdon.
I would affirm the Court of Appeals.