Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 1976

Gifford v. State Ex Rel. Department of Transportation

Gifford v. State Ex Rel. Department of Transportation
Supreme Judicial Court of Maine · Decided October 12, 1976 · Dufresne, Weatherbee, Pomeroy, Wer-Nick, Archibald, Delahanty, JJ-
364 A.2d 1275; 1976 Me. LEXIS 377 (Atlantic Reporter, Second Series)

Gifford v. State Ex Rel. Department of Transportation

Opinion

*1276 PER CURIAM.

The above death action was premised on the negligence of the agents of the defendant in the maintenance of a highway barricade and warning signs alerting the motoring public of its presence.

Defendant filed an appropriate motion to dismiss asserting a) lack of consent by the State to bring the action, and b) the defense of sovereign immunity. The motion was granted without comment, from which ruling plaintiff has appealed.

In Davies v. City of Bath, 364 A.2d 1269, decided this date, we determined to abrogate the doctrine of sovereign immunity, but to apply the decision to that case and those causes of action which arise sixty days after the certification of Davies. Since this alleged cause of action arose prior to that date, the doctrine is applicable. The complaint was properly dismissed.

The entry is:

Appeal denied.

All Justices concurring.

Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.