Court Opinion

ID: 9387443
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-04-17 22:04:39.081583+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:18:13.476181
License: Public Domain

STATE OF LOUISIANA

                COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

DEBRA ROBERTSON,                                                                        NO.        2022 CW        1322
INDIVIDUALLY AND AS                    PERSONAL
REPRESENTATION                 OF THE       ESTATE                                                 Page 1 of 2

OF GREGORY           ROBERTSON AND
KOCATATIE           THOMPSON

VERSUS

UNICORP,        LLC,          ERDACE                                                     APRIL 17,               2023
MANAGEMENT,           LLC,       ERDACE,
LLC,    BRADD,        LLC,       AND THE
PAYNE      COMPANY,            INC.

In Re:              Target       Door &           Supply,          Inc.,       applying           for    supervisory
                    writs,          19th        Judicial          District        Court,          Parish        of     East
                    Baton Rouge,             No.      691219.

BEFORE:             McCLENDON,             HOLDRIDGE,         AND       GREENE,       JJ.

        WRIT DENIED.
                                                             PMc

        Holdridge,              J.,        concurs           in    the     denial       of        the     writ.           The
Second         and    Restated             Petition           filed       by    Debra       Robertson           relates
back       to       the        date        of     filing           of     the     original              petition            in
accordance            with       La.        Code       Civ.        P.    art.     1153.           Therefore,               the
wrongful            death      and     survival         action           claims    of    the       minor       children
of     Gregory         Robertson                are     not       prescribed.               See    Giroir            v.     S.
Louisiana           Med.       Ctr.,        Div.      of     Hosps.,       475     So.2d      1040,           1041 (       La.
1985);         Sam v.         Sorrel Elec.             Contractors,             Inc.,       525    So.2d 244,              246
 La.       App.       1st       Cir.        1988),          writ        denied,       532     So.2d           133 (        La.
198 8) .        All       the       factors           established           by    the       Louisiana           Supreme
Court      in       Giroir       for       an    amending          petition       to    relate           back     to      the
date    of      filing         of     the    original             petition were met                in    this     case.
Debra       Robertson            had        the       legal        capacity       as     permanent             managing
conservator            to       file       the     wrongful             death    and    survival              action        on
behalf         of    the minor             child,      Adian        Michael       Robertson,             at    the        time
the    original petition was                          filed;       the    amended claim arises                    out       of
the     same         conduct          or    occurrence             as     set     forth       in        the    original
pleading;           the defendants                either          knew    or    should have             known     of the
existence of the new plaintiffs ( Mr.                                     Robertson's             two    other minor
children);           the new and old plaintiffs                            are    all minor             siblings           and
therefore            are      sufficiently              related;          the    defendants             will      not       be
prejudiced in preparing and conducting their defense.

        Greene,           J.,    dissents             and    would        grant    the      writ.         The        claims
alleged         in    the       Second           Amended          and     Restated          Petition           filed        by
Debra      Robertson,            on behalf of                the minor children Gregory Charles
Robertson,            III,      Nevaeh Nichole                Robertson,          and Adian Michael                       King
Robertson,            are       prescribed              on    their        face.        See        La.        Civ.        Code
arts.       2315.1            and     2315.2.            Furthermore,             I     find       the        plaintiff
failed         to    meet       her    burden         of     proving       the     claims         relate        back        to
the    original               petition,          as    the        original       petition          failed         to       set
forth      a    legally viable                  claim.        See Watson v.             Woldenberg Village,
Inc.,       2020-0453 (             La.      App.       4th        Cir.     7 /7 /21),        323        So. 3d       951.
Accordingly,              I     would           grant        the        exception of prescription and
                        STATE OF LOUISIANA

           COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

                                                                2022   cw    1322
                                                                Page 2      of 2

        dismiss   the    claims   alleged   in   the   Second   Amended        and
Restated Petition.

COURT    OF APPEAL,     FIRST CIRCUIT

    DEPUTY    CLERK OF    COURT
           FOR THE    COURT