Opinion

King v. Northeast Security, Inc.

  • 732 N.E.2d 824
  • 2000 Ind. App. LEXIS 1087
  • 2000 WL 1026681
Court
Indiana Court of Appeals
Filed
Jul 25, 2000
Status
Published
Author
Baker
On the bench
Riley, Baker, Kirsch, Banker
Cited by
1 cases
Authority
More cited than 4.8%

The opinion

BAKER, Judge,

concurring and dissenting.

I agree with my colleagues that the entry of summary judgment in favor of Northeast Security was proper for the reason that there is not enough specificity in the contract to make King a third party beneficiary. However, I cannot agree that the trial court erred in.granting summary judgment for the school district.

As the majority correctly observes, our supreme court in Benton v. City of Oakland City, 721 N.E.2d 224 (Ind.1999) reaffirmed the framework that was established in Campbell v. State, 259 Ind. 55 , 284 N.E.2d 738 (1972). Op. at 831-832. Specifically, the Benton court noted that governmental units have a duty to use ordinary and reasonable care under the circumstances, except for such claims as failure to prevent crime, appointment of an incompetent official, or an incorrect judicial decision. Benton, 721 N.E.2d at 230 .

It is apparent to me that the gravamen of King’s claim is that he was injured in light of the school corporation’s failure to have adequate safety personriel in the parking lot when he was injured. Thus, the Campbell exception regarding a governmental unit’s failure to prevent crime is triggered here. I acknowledge that the court must typically balance the three factors enunciated in Webb v. Jarvis, 575 N.E.2d 992, 995 (Ind.1991), which include the relationship between the parties, the foreseeability of harm to the injured person and public policy concerns, to determine whether a duty exists. Moreover, I do not disagree that considering these factors with respect to the circumstances before us might very well impose liability on the part of the school system. However, unless and until our supreme court abandons the Campbell exception that is relevant here, it is my view that summary judgment was properly entered for the school system. Thus, I would affirm the judgment in all respects.

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.

A word about cookies

We need a few to keep you signed in and the library working. The rest help us see which pages people use and where they get stuck. They stay off unless you say yes.