Opinion

Sweeney v. Sweeney

  • 71 Mich. App. 428
  • 248 N.W.2d 571
  • 1976 Mich. App. LEXIS 967
Court
Michigan Court of Appeals
Filed
Sep 28, 1976
Status
Published
Author
Anderson
On the bench
Bronson, Beasley, Anderson
Cited by
3 cases
Authority
More cited than 61.5%

The opinion

D. Anderson, Jr., J.

On September 4, 1972, an automobile owned and operated by the defendant, Jimmie A. Sweeney, domiciled in Michigan was involved in a single car accident in the State of Ohio, resulting in injury to defendant’s daughter. This action was brought in Michigan by the daughter against her father.

Defendant moved for accelerated judgment on the ground that Ohio law follows the doctrine of parental immunity. The trial court held that Ohio law controlled, and granted defendant’s motion. Plaintiff appeals.

The doctrine of parental immunity has been abolished in Michigan.

Plumley v Klein,

388 Mich 1 ; 199 NW2d 169 (1972). It is followed in Ohio.

Teramano v Teramano,

6 Ohio St 2d 117; 216 NE2d 375 (1966).

Michigan has consistently held that a right of action for tort is determined by the law of the state where the accident occurs.

Abendschein v Farrell,

382 Mich 510 ; 170 NW2d 137 (1969),

Kaiser v North,

292 Mich 49 ; 289 NW 325 (1939).

Plaintiff urges that an exception has been created in cases involving inter-family litigation, relying on dicta in

Abendschein

and upon the case of

Branyan v Alpena Flying Service, Inc.

65 Mich App 1 ; 236 NW2d 739 (1975).

*430

Dictum is not, and should not be considered to be the establishment of a rule of law, particularly in such important areas as are here involved, since it does not result from a full presentation and consideration of all of the factors involved. Certainly this Court should not and will not seize upon dictum as a means of overruling the prior decisions of the Supreme Court.

Branyan

is clearly distinguishable from the case at bar. In

Branyan

no question as to the existence of a cause of action was presented.

Branyan

dealt only with a limitation on the amount to be recovered, conceding the existence of a cause of action. The present case concerns the very existence of a cause of action, and Ohio has determined that under the facts of this case no cause of action exists.

This case is of the same general classification as those arising under the Uniform Statute of Limitations on Foreign Claims Act, MCLA 600.5861; MSA 27A.5861, requiring the application of a shorter statute of limitations in a foreign jurisdiction to actions brought in Michigan courts.

Wilson v Eubanks,

36 Mich App 287 ; 193 NW2d 353 (1971),

Waldron v Armstrong Rubber Co,

54 Mich App 154 ; 220 NW2d 738 (1974).

The trial court properly granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment.

Affirmed.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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