Court Opinion

ID: 9641283
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 17:27:40.257193+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:10:36.422874
License: Public Domain

HOLMES, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
This is a suit for damages for breach of a contract made for the benefit of a specific class of persons which included the plaintiff. The contract of employment between the plaintiff and the railroad company was made in Mississippi, was to be performed in Mississippi, and was therein actually performed until the date of his alleged wrongful discharge in the same state.
There is no federal question in this case, except as to matters of defense. Our jurisdiction rests solely upon diversity of citizenship. This action was originally instituted in a state court of Mississippi for damages in the sum of $3,000. It went to the Supreme Court of that state, which, reversing the trial court, held that the six-year statute of limitations applied and that the action was not barred. Moore v. Illinois Central R. Co., 180 Miss. 276, 176 So. 593. After it was remanded for retrial, and after the plaintiff had amended so as to claim more than $3,000, the case was removed to a federal court on the ground of diversity of citizenship. There is no federal statute of limitations involved here; only state statutes.
I cannot reconcile with Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64, 58 S.Ct. 817, 82 L.Ed. 1188, 114 A.L.R. 1487, the majority opinion wherein ii urges uniformity of construction of a contract, operating in many states, as a basis of federal courts exercising an independent judgment. This argument, in one aspect, seems to be in accord with the view of the Supreme Court of Mississippi to the effect that this suit is upon a written contract. Later, however, the opinion holds that the written contract was merely adopted by the employee, either orally or impliedly when he went to work, and, therefore, that the three-year statute applies.
Upon the facts before us, the federal court is not authorized to exercise an independent judgment, either as to the construction of the contract sued on or as to the applicable statute of limitations. Both are questions of state law, and we should follow the state court. The highest court of Mississippi has held that the action is not barred, and I think we are bound by its decision, since it does not appear that the state court has altered its opinion. Wichita Royalty Co. v. City Nat. Bank, 306 U.S. 103, 107, 59 S.Ct. 420, 83 L.Ed. 515.
For the reasons indicated, I dissent from the judgment of reversal.