Jackson v. Henry

THIS OPINION HAS NO PRECEDENTIAL VALUE. IT SHOULD NOT BE
CITED OR RELIED ON AS PRECEDENT IN ANY PROCEEDING
EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BY RULE 268(d)(2), SCACR.

THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
In The Court of Appeals

Thomas Jackson and Christopher Mitchell, Appellants,

v.

Joe Henry, Esq., Law Firm of Joe Henry, Respondents.

Appellate Case No. 2016-001064

Appeal From Richland County
Tanya A. Gee, Circuit Court Judge

Unpublished Opinion No. 2018-UP-312
Submitted June 1, 2018 – Filed July 11, 2018

REVERSED AND REMANDED

John Charles Ormond, Jr., of Ormond/Dunn, of
Columbia, for Appellants.

Joseph Henry, of Joseph Henry, PC, of Columbia, for
Respondents.

PER CURIAM: Thomas Jackson and Christopher Mitchell (Appellants) appeal
the circuit court's order dismissing their legal professional negligence case against
Joe Henry, Esq. and Law Firm of Joe Henry (Respondents) for failure to file an
expert witness affidavit pursuant to section 15-36-100 of the South Carolina Code
(Supp. 2017). We reverse and remand.
1. We agree with Appellants an expert witness affidavit was not required to
support their complaint for professional negligence. See S.C. Code Ann. § 15-36-
100(B) (Supp. 2017) ("[I]n an action for damages alleging professional negligence
against a professional . . . , the plaintiff must file as part of the complaint an
affidavit of an expert witness which must specify at least one negligent act or
omission claimed to exist and the factual basis for each claim . . . ."); S.C. Code
Ann. § 15-36-100(C)(2) (Supp. 2017) (providing an expert affidavit "is not
required to support a pleaded specification of negligence involving subject matter
that lies within the ambit of common knowledge and experience, so that no special
learning is needed to evaluate the conduct of the defendant"); Brouwer v. Sisters of
Charity Providence Hosps., 409 S.C. 514, 522, 763 S.E.2d 200, 204 (2014)
(finding in a medical professional negligence claim an allegation that "the
negligent exposure of a patient to latex with a known allergy can result in an
allergic reaction in that patient, is a matter within the common knowledge or
experience so that no special learning is needed to evaluate Respondents' conduct
at the pre-litigation stage"); Mali v. Odom, 295 S.C. 78, 80, 367 S.E.2d 166, 168
(Ct. App. 1988) (noting the expert testimony requirements governing legal
malpractice actions are the same as those used for other professionals such as
doctors and dentists); Holmes v. Haynsworth, Sinkler & Boyd, P.A., 408 S.C. 620,
637 n.13, 760 S.E.2d 399, 408 n.13 (2014), abrogated on other grounds by Stokes-
Craven Holding Corp. v. Robinson, 416 S.C. 517, 787 S.E.2d 485 (2016) ("Under
the common knowledge exception, expert testimony is not required where the
common knowledge or experience of laymen is extensive enough to recognize or
infer negligence on the part of the professional and to determine the presence of
the required causal link between the professional's performance and the alleged
malpractice."); Wagenmann v. Adams, 829 F.2d 196, 219 (1st Cir. 1987) ("Courts
in other jurisdictions have . . . dispensed with any expert testimony requirement in
egregious cases, especially those in which an attorney fails to act once he has
undertaken to represent a client."); Allyn v. McDonald, 910 P.2d 263, 266 (Nev.
1996) (explaining when "the applicable statute of limitations was clear and
unambiguous" and "the accrual date of the claim was also not subject to question
or interpretation," the issue of "whether the attorney was negligent in failing to file
the claim before the statute of limitations expired . . . was within the ordinary
knowledge and experience of a layman"); id. (cautioning "if the applicability of the
statute at issue was uncertain, if significant questions regarding the accrual date of
the claim existed, or if issues regarding tolling of the statute existed, the case might
extend beyond the realm of ordinary experience and knowledge of the layman, thus
requiring an expert witness to establish the attorney's breach of the duty of care");
Yager v. Clauson, 101 A.3d 6, 10 (N.H. 2014) ("[W]hether expert testimony is
required to prove legal malpractice premised on a failure to file a claim within the
statute of limitations depends upon the specific facts of the case and whether they
are 'within the realm of common knowledge' or 'beyond the ken of the average
layperson.'" (quoting Estate of Sicotte, 959 A.2d 236, 239 (N.H. 2008))).

Here, pursuant to Rule 40(j) of the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure and the
Agreement Striking [the] Case from [the] Docket, Respondents had to restore the
case to the docket within one year of the agreement or Appellants' action would be
dismissed. The date upon which Respondents had to act was clear and
unambiguous. Like an undisputed statute of limitations, this date was not subject
to question or interpretation. Considering only the allegations in the complaint, we
do not believe Respondents needed to use professional judgment or special
learning to know they were required to act to preserve Clients' rights. Clients'
allegations in the complaint did not need to be supported by an expert affidavit as
Respondents' negligence in failing to meet a known deadline is matter of common
knowledge and experience. Accordingly, we hold the trial court erred in
dismissing Appellants' action for professional negligence.

2. As the above issue is dispositive, we do not need to address Appellants'
remaining issue. See Futch v. McAllister Towing of Georgetown, Inc., 335 S.C.
598, 613, 518 S.E.2d 591, 598 (1999) (noting an appellate court need not address
appellant's remaining issues when its determination of a prior issue is dispositive).

REVERSED AND REMANDED. 1

HUFF, MCDONALD, and HILL, JJ., concur.

1
We decide this case without oral argument pursuant to Rule 215, SCACR.