Court Opinion

ID: 9854098
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 06:00:49.319523+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:22:55.515990
License: Public Domain

BROUSSARD, J„
Concurring and Dissenting.—Like Justice Mosk, I concur in the majority opinion except for that portion establishing that our decision will apply retroactively. When I first considered the substantive issue presented by the case, I had difficulty concluding that we ought to overturn a long-standing rule of property law which apparently had not generated much litigation. However, for the reasons stated in the majority opinion, I am now persuaded that for the future the rule should be as the majority establish.
When, as here, we reject a well-established rule that lacked a sound theoretical basis but caused little confusion or dispute, we should make every effort not to make the cure worse than the disease. It is almost as important that property law be predictable as that it be right. When we break with the past in a retroactive opinion, but make substantial reliance on the old rule an affirmative defense, we inevitably engender a far larger volume of litigation than the old rule created. I would prefer to make our opinion take effect prospectively, since I believe this is the only way to cause less disruption and litigation than was caused by the rule we now reject.