{ "id": 11914306, "name": "MARGARET LUFFMAN BAKER, Plaintiff v. ARTHUR F. BECAN, M.D., STOKES-REYNOLDS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, INC., and STOKES-REYNOLDS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, INC. d/b/a JONES OUTPATIENT CLINIC a/k/a DR. R.J. JONES MEDICAL CENTER, Defendants", "name_abbreviation": "Baker v. Becan", "decision_date": "1996-08-06", "docket_number": "No. COA95-288", "first_page": "551", "last_page": "554", "citations": [ { "type": "official", "cite": "123 N.C. App. 551" } ], "court": { "name_abbreviation": "N.C. Ct. App.", "id": 14983, "name": "North Carolina Court of Appeals" }, "jurisdiction": { "id": 5, "name_long": "North Carolina", "name": "N.C." }, "cites_to": [ { "cite": "34 ALR4th 778", "category": "reporters:specialty", "reporter": "A.L.R. 4th", "opinion_index": -1 }, { "cite": "1 ALR3d 711", "category": "reporters:specialty", "reporter": "A.L.R. 3d", "opinion_index": -1 }, { "cite": "417 S.E.2d 224", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "S.E.2d", "weight": 2, "year": 1992, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "225" } ], "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "331 N.C. 709", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C.", "case_ids": [ 2502074 ], "year": 1992, "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc/331/0709-01" ] }, { "cite": "405 S.E.2d 597", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "S.E.2d", "year": 1991, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "598" } ], "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "103 N.C. App. 384", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C. App.", "case_ids": [ 8521028 ], "year": 1991, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "385" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc-app/103/0384-01" ] }, { "cite": "265 S.E.2d 161", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "S.E.2d", "year": 1980, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "163" } ], "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "300 N.C. 175", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C.", "case_ids": [ 8560015 ], "year": 1980, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "179" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc/300/0175-01" ] }, { "cite": "303 S.E.2d 792", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "S.E.2d", "year": 1983, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "795" } ], "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "308 N.C. 670", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C.", "case_ids": [ 4706841 ], "year": 1983, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "674" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc/308/0670-01" ] } ], "analysis": { "cardinality": 421, "char_count": 7781, "ocr_confidence": 0.75, "pagerank": { "raw": 2.3728075846420702e-07, "percentile": 0.7956230266706669 }, "sha256": "4fbc75c2daf8092113cd6015d5e193b7bf040d1bbf7a400fa9a689ed9bae815c", "simhash": "1:f229e83831ac8b1c", "word_count": 1259 }, "last_updated": "2023-07-14T18:05:31.519627+00:00", "provenance": { "date_added": "2019-08-29", "source": "Harvard", "batch": "2018" }, "casebody": { "judges": [ "Judges LEWIS and WYNN concur." ], "parties": [ "MARGARET LUFFMAN BAKER, Plaintiff v. ARTHUR F. BECAN, M.D., STOKES-REYNOLDS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, INC., and STOKES-REYNOLDS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, INC. d/b/a JONES OUTPATIENT CLINIC a/k/a DR. R.J. JONES MEDICAL CENTER, Defendants" ], "opinions": [ { "text": "JOHN, Judge.\nPlaintiff appeals dismissal with prejudice of her medical malpractice complaint against defendants. We affirm the trial court.\nPertinent procedural information is as follows: On 19 March 1993, plaintiff filed an application pursuant to N.C.R. Civ. P. 3(a) to extend the time in which to file complaint against defendants. The clerk of court thereupon issued an order extending the time for filing plaintiff\u2019s complaint through 19 April 1993. On 7 April 1993, plaintiff filed a complaint alleging, inter alia, that defendant Arthur Becan, M.D., was negligent in the medical treatment of plaintiff\u2019s ankle. However, the complaint contained neither prayer for relief nor demand for judgment.\nIn May 1993, defendants moved to dismiss pursuant to N.C.R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). Plaintiff subsequently sought amendment of the complaint under N.C.R. Civ. P. 15 for purposes of adding a prayer for relief. The motions were calendared for hearing 7 July 1993 in Stokes County Superior Court. However, according to stipulations in the record, on that date counsel for plaintiff related to the court that \u201cit was his intention to file a written notice of dismissal of the action\u201d and that he planned to prepare such document upon returning to his office. The motions thus were not heard. A hand-written entry on the clerk\u2019s calendar for 7 July 1993 reads, \u201cV.D. to be filed by Mr. Peed.\u201d Written notice of plaintiff\u2019s voluntary dismissal was thereafter filed 12 July 1993.\nOn 12 July 1994, plaintiff once again filed an \u201cApplication and Order Extending Time to File Complaint,\u201d and was allowed until 1 August 1994 to file her complaint; she filed her second malpractice action 28 July 1994. Defendant Becan thereupon moved to dismiss based upon plaintiffs \u201c(1) failing to state a cause of action; (2) not having filed her cause of action within the applicable 3 year statute of limitations; and (3) failure to recommence her cause of action within one (1) year after having once before voluntarily dismissed her purported cause of action.\u201d Defendant Stokes-Reynolds Memorial Hospital, Inc., also moved to dismiss plaintiff\u2019s action. Defendants\u2019 motions were granted by the trial court in an order filed 26 October 1994. Plaintiff appeals.\nPlaintiff brings forth two main assertions on appeal: (1) her first complaint, filed 7 April 1993, was valid despite lack of prayer for relief and was properly filed within the three-year statute of limitations period; (2) the one-year limitation period for refiling of plaintiff\u2019s claim (dismissed under N.C.R. Civ. P. 41(a)(1) [Rule 41(a)(1)]) began to run 12 July 1993, the date plaintiff\u2019s written notice of voluntary dismissal was filed, and therefore her second \u201cApplication and Order Extending Time to File Complaint\u201d was timely filed 12 July 1994.\nOn the other hand, defendants contend plaintiff\u2019s original complaint was a nullity due to its lack of prayer for relief and therefore failed to toll the three-year limitations period which (as extended by the clerk) ran 19 April 1993. Defendants further argue that, assuming arguendo plaintiff\u2019s first claim was properly filed, the one-year period to refile under Rule 41(a)(1) commenced 7 July 1993 and therefore ran prior to plaintiff\u2019s refiling of her claim 13 July 1994. As we decide plaintiff did not timely refile under Rule 41(a)(1) and therefore defendants\u2019 motions to dismiss were properly granted, we need not address whether plaintiff\u2019s complaint was effective notwithstanding lack of prayer for relief.\nRule 41(a)(1) provides as follows:\nIf an action commenced within the time prescribed therefor, or any claim therein, is dismissed without prejudice under this subsection, a new action based on the same claim may be commenced within one year after such dismissal....\nIn this jurisdiction, oral notice in open court of voluntary dismissal operates to commence the one-year limitation period set out in Rule 41(a)(1). Cassidy v. Cheek, 308 N.C. 670, 674, 303 S.E.2d 792, 795 (1983); Danielson v. Cummings, 300 N.C. 175, 179, 265 S.E.2d 161, 163 (1980); Johnson v. Hutchens, 103 N.C. App. 384, 385, 405 S.E.2d 597, 598 (1991).\nNotwithstanding, plaintiff points to Thompson v. Newman, 331 N.C. 709, 417 S.E.2d 224 (1992) as support for her position. We find the case inapposite.\nIn Thompson, this Court held:\n[W]hen a trial court instructs, or expressly permits, a plaintiff who has given oral notice of voluntary dismissal pursuant to Rule 41(a)(1) to file written notice to the same effect at a later date during the session of court at which oral notice was given, and plaintiff files written notice accordingly, the one-year period for refiling provided by the rule begins to run when written notice is filed.\nId. at 712, 417 S.E.2d at 225. In the case sub judice, there is no evidence the trial court \u201cinstruct[ed]\u201d or \u201cexpressly permit [ted]\u201d plaintiff to file written notice of dismissal at a later date. While the statement of plaintiffs counsel informing the court of his intention to prepare the dismissal document upon returning to his office might arguably imply tacit approval of the court, counsel\u2019s announcement in no way constitutes either \u201cexpress permission\u201d or \u201cinstruction\u201d by the court to file at a later date so as to bring this case within the rubric of Thompson. Further, it appears from the record that plaintiff\u2019s written notice of dismissal was filed after the subject session of court had concluded.\nIn short, the one-year limitation period within which plaintiff might have renewed her claim under Rule 41(a)(1) commenced 7 July 1993, the date plaintiff\u2019s counsel stated in open court that he intended to file notice of voluntary dismissal. As plaintiff\u2019s second \u201cApplication and Order Extending Time to File Complaint\u201d was not filed until 12 July 1994, her claim was barred by the limitations period and was properly dismissed by the trial court.\nAffirmed.\nJudges LEWIS and WYNN concur.", "type": "majority", "author": "JOHN, Judge." } ], "attorneys": [ "Charles Peed and Associates, by Charles 0. Peed, for plaintiff-appellant.", "Joseph Edward Downs for defendant-appellee Arthur F. Becan, M.D.", "Wilson & tseman, L.L.P., by G. Gray Wilson and Elizabeth Horton, for defendant-appellees Stokes-Reynolds Hospital, Inc., and Stokes-Reynolds Memorial Hospital, Inc. d/b/a Jones Outpatient Clinic a/k/a Dr. R. J. Jones Medical Center." ], "corrections": "", "head_matter": "MARGARET LUFFMAN BAKER, Plaintiff v. ARTHUR F. BECAN, M.D., STOKES-REYNOLDS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, INC., and STOKES-REYNOLDS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, INC. d/b/a JONES OUTPATIENT CLINIC a/k/a DR. R.J. JONES MEDICAL CENTER, Defendants\nNo. COA95-288\n(Filed 6 August 1996)\nTrial \u00a7 213 (NCI4th)\u2014 voluntary dismissal \u2014 failure to refile within one-year period\nThe one-year limitation period within which plaintiff might have renewed her claim under N.C.G.S. \u00a7 1A-1, Rule 41(a)(1) commenced 7 July 1993, the date plaintiffs counsel stated in open court that he intended to file notice of voluntary dismissal, rather than when the written notice was filed on 12 July 1993; therefore, since plaintiff\u2019s second \u201cApplication and Order Extending Time to File Complaint\u201d was not filed until 12 July 1994, her claim was barred by the limitations period and was properly dismissed by the trial court.\nAm Jur 2d, Dismissal, Discontinuance, and Nonsuit \u00a7\u00a7 9 et seq.\nTime when voluntary nonsuit or dismissal may be taken as of right under statute so authorizing at any time before \u201ctrial\u201d, \u201ccommencement of trial\u201d, \u201ctrial of the facts\u201d or the like. 1 ALR3d 711.\nConstruction, as to terms and conditions, of state statute or rule providing for voluntary dismissal without prejudice upon such terms and conditions as state court deems proper. 34 ALR4th 778.\nAppeal by plaintiff from order entered 26 October 1994 by Judge Clarence W. Carter in Stokes County Superior Court. Heard in the Court of Appeals 7 December 1995.\nCharles Peed and Associates, by Charles 0. Peed, for plaintiff-appellant.\nJoseph Edward Downs for defendant-appellee Arthur F. Becan, M.D.\nWilson & tseman, L.L.P., by G. Gray Wilson and Elizabeth Horton, for defendant-appellees Stokes-Reynolds Hospital, Inc., and Stokes-Reynolds Memorial Hospital, Inc. d/b/a Jones Outpatient Clinic a/k/a Dr. R. J. Jones Medical Center." }, "file_name": "0551-01", "first_page_order": 585, "last_page_order": 588 }