The mission of the Connecticut Judicial Branch is to serve the interests of justice and the public by resolving matters brought before it in a fair, timely, efficient and open manner.

Tort Law Appellate Court Opinions

by Mazur, Catherine

 

AC40834 - Cohen v. King (Defamation; "The self-represented plaintiff, Debra Cohen, appeals from the judgment of the trial court granting a motion to dismiss filed by the defendant, Patricia A. King. On appeal, the plaintiff claims that the trial court erred in concluding that the doctrine of litigation privilege barred her action sounding in defamation and fraud. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.")

AC40956 - Harvey v. Dept. of Correction (Wrongful death; "The plaintiff, Sandra Harvey, administratrix of the estate of Isaiah Boucher, appeals from the judgment of the trial court dismissing the wrongful death action filed against the defendants, the Department of Correction and the University of Connecticut Health Center Correctional Managed Health Care, to which we collectively refer in this opinion as the state. On July 16, 2015, the Claims Commissioner (claims commissioner) authorized Boucher to bring a medical malpractice action against the state. Boucher, however, died during September, 2015, without having filed an action, and the plaintiff did not commence the underlying action on behalf of Boucher's estate until more than one year later. The state filed a motion to dismiss the action because it was untimely pursuant to General Statutes § 4-160 (d), which requires a party who is granted authorization by the claims commissioner to sue the state to do so within one year from the date such authorization is granted. The plaintiff claims on appeal that the court improperly granted the state's motion to dismiss because the statute of limitations set forth in General Statutes § 52-555 (a), which permits a wrongful death action to be brought within two years from the date of the decedent's death, had not expired and is not limited by § 4-160 (d). Alternatively, the plaintiff claims that the one year limitation period prescribed in § 4-160 (d) was extended in this case by operation of General Statutes § 52-594, and, therefore, her action was timely. We disagree and, accordingly, affirm the judgment of the trial court.")