Court Opinion

ID: 9387442
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-04-17 22:04:38.328495+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:18:13.479705
License: Public Domain

STATE OF LOUISIANA

               COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

DEBRA ROBERTSON,                                                                              NO.        2022 CW     1365
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:              Bradd,          L. L. C.,         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       prescriped.                  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   1365
                                                                Page 2 of 2

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

COURT    OF APPEAL,     FIRST CIRCUIT

   0\. ~ j)
    DEPUTY    CLERK OF    COURT
           FOR THE    COURT