Court Opinion

ID: 9690522
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 19:19:38.065478+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:18:58.770332
License: Public Domain

MINGE, Judge
(concurring specially).
I join the majority opinion except for part I, that classifies the choice of what state’s general statute of limitations applies to a claim as a procedural matter and automatically applies the statute of the forum state. I would apply the choice-influencing-consideration analysis which is used to resolve conflicts of substantive law to determine the applicable statute of limitations. Because applying those choice-influencing considerations would produce the same result reached by the majority, I concur.
A. Classification of Statute-of-Limitations Questions
As the majority notes, statute-of-limitations questions were traditionally deemed procedural and subject to the eonflicts-of-law analysis applicable to procedural questions. For three primary reasons, I would use the choice-influencing considerations to resolve conflicts over statutes of limitations. First, as detailed in Danielson v. Nat'l Supply Co., 670 N.W.2d 1, 5-6 (Minn.App.2003), review denied (Minn. Dec. 16, 2003), Minnesota caselaw on the subject is not uniform; statute-of-limitations questions in some cases have been *62treated as procedural while, in other cases, have been subject to the choice-influencing considerations applicable to substantive questions.
Second, as noted in the comments to the Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws, this inconsistency in caselaw is not only not limited to Minnesota, but is national and is increasingly being resolved in favor of using the choice-influencing considerations to resolve statute-of-limitations questions:
[Many courts] no longer characterize the issue of limitations as ipso facto procedural and hence governed by the law of the forum. Instead, the courts select the state whose law will be applied to the issue of limitations by a process essentially similar to that used in the case of other issues of choice of law.
Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws § 142 cmt. e (1988).
Third, statutes of limitations are ever more viewed as expressions of public policy. See, e.g., Entzion v. Illinois Farmers Ins. Co., 675 N.W.2d 925, 928 (Min.App.2004). This general view of statutes of limitations as expressions of public policy has been reflected in the choice-of-law context. See Danielson, 670 N.W.2d at 6 (stating that we are “increasingly recognizing that the statute of limitations is outcome determinative, that it may be inappropriate to use the procedural classification, and that determining what statute of limitations is to be applied should be decided the same as substantive law conflicts generally”) (citing Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws § 142 cmt. e (1988)).
Based on the foregoing and other considerations identified in Danielson and the Restatement, I would use the choiee-influ-encing-consideration approach to determine the applicable statute of limitations.
B. Application of Choice-Influencing-Consideration Analysis
In deciding conflicts of substantive law, Minnesota adopted the choice-influencing-consideration analysis in Milkovich v. Saari, 295 Minn. 155, 161, 203 N.W.2d 408, 412 (1973). The five choice-influencing considerations are (1) predictability of result; (2) maintenance of interstate order; (3) simplification of judicial task; (4) advancement of the forum’s governmental interests; and (5) application of the better rule of law. Jepson v. General Cas. Co. of Wisc., 513 N.W.2d 467, 470 (Minn.1994). These factors are intended to “prompt courts to carefully and critically consider each new fact situation and explain in a straight-forward manner their choice of law.” Id. The choice-influencing factors provide a clear framework for determining which statute of limitations applies when the statute of limitations is outcome determinative.

(1) Predictability of Result

This factor applies “primarily to consensual transactions where the parties desire advance notice of which state law will govern in future disputes.” Medtronic, Inc. v. Advanced Bionics Corp., 630 N.W.2d 438, 454 (Minn.App.2001) (citation omitted). The case before this panel is a tort claim. It arose out of a motor-vehicle accident, not a transaction in which the parties would consider the applicable state law. From a traditional planning perspective, this predictability factor does not favor either forum. See Milkovich, 295 Minn, at 161, 203 N.W.2d at 412 (“no one plans to have an accident, and, except for the remote possibility of forum shopping, this test is of little import in an automobile accident case.”). However, at another level, attorneys must identify and comply with deadlines for filing a tort action. In this important sense, predictability of result in application of the statute of limita*63tions is important to attorneys who must commence claims on behalf of their clients in a timely manner. This need for predictability favors a consistent, easily applied rule. The traditional rule that treats general statutes of limitations as procedural and applies the law of the forum is predictable and in this special sense, favors use of Minnesota law.

(2) Maintenance of Interstate Order

This factor addresses whether the application of Minnesota or Wisconsin law would manifest disrespect of either state or impede the interstate movement of people and goods. Danielson, 670 N.W.2d at 7. Because both forums have statutes of limitations and because application of one state’s statute of limitations would disrespect the other, this factor is unavoidable and neutral. See id. at 8.

(8) Simplification of Judicial Task

In the context of the application of a statute of limitations, the consideration of the simplification of the judicial task is often thought to be minor. Minnesota district courts are capable of applying either the Minnesota or Wisconsin statute of limitations. However, given the complexities and quirks in any state law, the forum has a modestly simpler task in applying its law. This gives a slight preference to use of Minnesota law by a Minnesota court.

(I) Advancement of the Forum’s Governmental Interests

The fourth factor involves inquiry into which “choice of law most advances a significant interest of the forum [state].” Jepson, 513 N.W.2d at 472. “This factor assures that Minnesota courts are not called upon to apply rules of law inconsistent with Minnesota’s concept of fairness and equity.” Medtronic, 630 N.W.2d at 455 (quotation omitted). In evaluating this factor, the court considers the public policy of the forum state. Danielson, 670 N.W.2d at 8.
As we discussed in Danielson, Minnesota has a strong interest in fair compensation of tort victims. Id. “We have even refused to apply our law when the law of another state would better serve to compensate a tort victim.” Jepson, 513 N.W.2d at 472. Here, appellant Christian received medical care in Minnesota. This state has an interest that its healthcare providers be paid. This is promoted by applying the longer statute of limitations. Because Minnesota has the longer statute of limitations, this factor favors applying Minnesota law.

(5) Application of the Better Rule of Law

The fifth and final factor, the application of the better rule of law, is addressed when the other factors are inconclusive. Medtronic, 630 N.W.2d at 455-56. In determining the better rule of law, this court looks to “the rule that made good socioeconomic sense for the time when the court speaks.” Jepson, 513 N.W.2d at 473 (quotation omitted). Minnesota’s policy of compensating tort victims advances the interest of avoiding victim reliance on public assistance, restoring injured parties to good health, compensating healthcare providers, and holding parties responsible for their conduct. A shorter statute of limitations would advance the interest of reducing liability exposure and preventing stale claims. Here, there is no claim Christian’s claim is a surprise, that witnesses are not available, or that Birch is otherwise disadvantaged by the greater-than-three year delay in initiating the lawsuit. In this case, Minnesota’s overriding interest in compensating tort victims appears to be the better rule in this case and this factor favors the application of the Minnesota statute of limitations.
In sum, the choice-influencing considerations favor application of Minnesota law. Because I agree that the district court *64erred in applying the Wisconsin statute of limitations, I concur with the result. However, because our supreme court favors use of the choice-influencing consideration analysis and because of the shift to this choice-of-law approach, I would follow § 142 of the Restatement, which applies the choice-influencing consideration analysis to statute-of-limitations conflicts.