Court Opinion

ID: 9689009
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 18:16:17.319793+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:18:43.524953
License: Public Domain

Shepherd, J.
(concurring). I agree that this case ought to be dismissed in Michigan but not for the reasons stated by my colleagues. The majority opinion concludes that as a matter of law plaintiff was not insane within the meaning of the New York tolling provision and that therefore under New York law plaintiff’s claim was time-barred. The action is then dismissed in Michigan under Michigan’s "borrowing statute,” MCL 600.5861; MSA 27A.5861. I would prefer to dismiss the case under the doctrine of forum non conveniens. Anderson v Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co, 411 Mich 619; 309 NW2d 539 (1981); Cray v General Motors Corp, 389 Mich 382; 207 NW2d 393 (1973); Hamann v American Motors Corp, 131 Mich App 605; 345 NW2d 699 (1983). If this case had been started *415in Michigan and we were not faced with the previous proceedings in New York or New Jersey, I do not believe we would have had any difficulty in concluding that Michigan is not the place for this case to be tried and we would have declined to accept the case on the basis of forum non conveniens. There is no valid reason for having this case tried in Michigan when all of the facts appear to have occurred either where the accident took place or where plaintiff lives. It is therefore my belief that the Michigan trial court was in error in failing to exercise its discretion to decline to take the case on the basis of forum non conveniens. The issues of the applicability of New York or New Jersey law and the effect of the statutes of limitation of those states would then best be decided in the courts that are better placed to try the case if it goes to trial.
I note that in a hearing that took place in New Jersey on October 25, 1985, counsel for one of the defendants argued that this case belongs in Michigan. Counsel for plaintiff noted that the defendant had argued in Michigan that the case more appropriately belongs in New Jersey. Plaintiff then repeatedly offered to dismiss the case in Michigan if the New Jersey courts accepted it. On January 10, 1986, the New Jersey court concluded that New Jersey has jurisdiction and that there is no basis for dismissing the action under the statute of limitations in effect in New Jersey. The New Jersey judge said that she would defer to Michigan and that appropriate action would be taken in New Jersey after the Michigan court decided the matters pending in Michigan. Now that this has been accomplished, presumably the case will go before the New Jersey judge who will see that the opinion in this case simply dismisses the action based upon a Michigan interpretation of New *416York law. The opinion of this Court says nothing about the application of New Jersey law and the New Jersey courts are still free to interpret their statutes as they see fit. Given the fact that this case is still not resolved by our opinion, I would prefer to see the matter finally disposed of by those courts that have a closer relationship to the facts i.e. either New York (where the case appears to be no longer viable) or New Jersey (where some issues still appear to be open).