Court Opinion

ID: 9466692
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 01:23:55.345391+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:39:53.282363
License: Public Domain

TATE, Circuit Judge,
specially concurring:
I agree with the result reached in this case. The stevedore was never given a chance to implead the shipper, and the cargo claimant should not be given the opportunity to choose which of two defendants will be held responsible for damage that may have been caused by both, or in fact may have been caused by the sole fault of the shipper. Under the circumstances of this case, the district court erred in holding that the third-party action was time-barred. See Francosteel Corp. v. S.S. Tien Cheung, 375 F.Supp. 794 (S.D.N.Y.1973). Since the contract between the stevedore and the shipper was not governed by the time limitations of COGSA, Grace Lines, Inc. v. Central Gulf Steamship Corp., 416 F.2d 977 (1969), cert. denied, 398 U.S. 939, 90 S.Ct. 1843, 26 L.Ed.2d 271 (1970), is factually distinguishable and not controlling.
I concur specially only to state, for benefit of possible future en banc consideration of the issue, that were I writing on a clean slate, I would decide Grace Lines differently. It is clear to me that the rationale of Francosteel should be applied to prevent the application of the COGSA one-year statute of limitations to any action for indemnity or contribution not founded solely on subrogation. See 3 Moore’s Federal Practice H 14.09, at 14-247 to 248 (2d ed. 1979). Otherwise, a cargo claimant has the ability to manipulate the time limitation in order to favor one possible tortfeasor over another. In my opinion, policy dictates that even in the COGSA context, the general rule on actions for indemnity or contribution should apply — “the statute of limitation on an action to enforce [the right to indemnity] would not begin to run until payment was made.” Grace Lines, Inc. v. Central Gulf Steamship Corp., 416 F.2d at 978.
I must admit, as did the district court, that contrary policy reasons are not without weight. The one-year COGSA limitation on bringing cargo damage claims may indeed have been designed to bar not only claims for cargo damage but also claims for indemnity or contribution arising out of such cargo-damage claims — such as those by charterers or stevedores for cargo-damage for which they are held liable to the cargo-owner, but for which, as between the shipowner and themselves, the shipowner is primarily or partially liable. A defendant’s delayed claim for indemnity or contribution, in this latter instance, presents problems and policy-values similar to those that arise when suit for the cargo damage itself is unduly delayed. Nevertheless, I presently incline to the belief that the weight of policy reasons favors indemnity claims in such situations, without regard to COGSA’s one-year time limitation. As between potential defendants, an opportunity to hold liable the party primarily responsible should not be foreclosed by plaintiff-choice.
I agree that summary calendar treatment of this case is appropriate. The facts and legal arguments are adequately presented *516by the briefs and the record, and the deci-sional process would not be significantly aided by oral argument. I feel impelled to state my serious reservations concerning the correctness of this court’s decision in Grace Lines, but these reservations can only be resolved by the court en banc. Therefore, I respectfully concur.