Court Opinion

ID: 9704778
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 00:46:08.490897+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:05.298576
License: Public Domain

*59MESCHKE, Justice,
concurring.
I concur. The only issue fairly presented by this appeal is whether, as to the counterclaim, the district court’s findings about the time that Kadrmas knew of the spray damage are clearly erroneous. I agree they are not. Affirmance of dismissal of the counterclaim is appropriate.
I write separately to suggest that this opinion should not be read too broadly. When properly raised, apart from a counterclaim, there may well be a defense of recoupment to offset the contract claim of the operator for his services in applying the agricultural chemical. It should not be barred by a statute which only provides that “[n]o civil action shall be commenced” unless a timely report of loss is made.
It is widely held that a statute of limitation does not defeat defensive “recoupment,” where it arises out of the same transaction upon which the plaintiff’s' claim is made. See Annot., 1 A.L.R.2d 630, {Claim barred by limitation as subject of setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, cross bill, or cross action), (1948), particularly at 666, § 14 (“Recoupments; matters closely related to plaintiff’s cause of action”). See also, 51 Am.Jur.2d Limitation of Actions, p. 656, § 77 (“Recoupment”), (1970); 20 Am.Jur.2d Counterclaim, Recoupment, and Setoff, p. 231, § 6 (“Nature and scope of remedy — recoupment”) (1965).
Neither this opinion nor the prior opinion of this court in Schroeder Aviation, Inc. v. DeFehr, 283 N.W.2d 147 (N.D.1979) address the precise issue of recoupment. To the extent that Schroeder rules against all defensive use of a loss arising from application of agricultural chemicals, I believe it should be reconsidered. The toxic consequences of today’s chemical compounds have become commonplace. Problems of proof as to causes of injuries from herbicides and pesticides are no greater than in other tort cases. In an agricultural state dependent upon growing crops, a statute against uncovering those wayward injuries should not be extended any further than its language commands. An abrupt bar against commencing a civil action should not be read to prohibit recoupment of accounts between participants for the costs and effects of their immediate transaction.