Tort—Parental Immunity—Merrick v. Sutterlin, 93 Wn. 2d 411, 610 P.2d 891 (1980)

Authors

Frederick W. Grimm

Abstract

This note outlines the origins of the doctrine of parentalftort immunity and its development in Washington, placing special emphasis on the doctrine's underlying policies and their applicability in automobile negligence cases. This note then discusses the problems which may arise from the Merrick court's failure to abolish the parental immunity entirely. Looking to the future, this note suggests that the immunity be abolished in favor of a standard of care recognizing the legal duty of a parent to act as a reasonably prudent parent.

First Page

319

Recommended Citation

Frederick W. Grimm, Recent Developments, Tort—Parental Immunity—Merrick v. Sutterlin, 93 Wn. 2d 411, 610 P.2d 891 (1980), 56 Wash. L. Rev. 319 (1981).
Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/wlr/vol56/iss2/24