Supreme Court of California

Code Civ. Proc. section 337.15's 10-year statute of limitations for latent construction defects is not subject to equitable tolling while promises or attempts to repair are pending, but a defendant whose conduct induced plaintiffs to refrain from filing suit might be equitably estopped to assert a statute of limitations defense.

Appellate Information

• Decided 08/04/2003
• Published 08/04/2003

Judges

•  BAXTER, J.

Court

• Supreme Court of California

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
•  Duke Gerstel Shearer,Dawn R. Brennan and Alan R. Johnston, San Diego, for Plaintiffs and Appellants.


• For Appellees:
  
• Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps, Charles A. Bird, San Diego;  Morgan, Miller & Blair, Kenneth M. Miller and Kathleen M. DeLaney, Walnut Creek, for Defendants and Respondents., Fred J. Hiestand for the Civil Justice Association of California as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Defendants and Respondents., David S. Jaffe;  Piper Marbury Rudnick & Wolfe, Jeffrey A. Rosenfeld, Los Angeles, and Stephen R. Mysliwiec for National Association of Builders as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Defendants and Respondents., Dale, Braden & Hinchcliffe, George D. Dale and Dianne M. Costales for the California Building Industry Association as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Defendants and Respondents.