Hojnowski v. Vans Skate Park

• Decision Date: 17 July 2006
• Citation: 187 N.J. 323,901 A.2d 381
• Parties: Andrew HOJNOWSKI, a minor, through his Parents and Guardians ad Litem, Jerry Hojnowski and Anastasia Hojnowski and Jerry Hojnowski and Anastasia Hojnowski, in their own right, Plaintiffs-Respondents and Cross-Appellants, v. VANS SKATE PARK, Defendant-Appellant and Cross-Respondent, and McCown DeLeeuw Company, John Doe(s) Skate Park Owner (A Fictitious Name) and Jane Doe(s) Insurance Company (For Med Pay Only), Defendants.
• Court: New Jersey Supreme Court

Page 381

901 A.2d 381

187 N.J. 323

Andrew HOJNOWSKI, a minor, through his Parents and Guardians ad Litem, Jerry Hojnowski and Anastasia Hojnowski and Jerry Hojnowski and Anastasia Hojnowski, in their own right, Plaintiffs-Respondents and Cross-Appellants, v. VANS SKATE PARK, Defendant-Appellant and Cross-Respondent, and McCown DeLeeuw Company, John Doe(s) Skate Park Owner (A Fictitious Name) and Jane Doe(s) Insurance Company (For Med Pay Only), Defendants.

Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Argued January 30, 2006.

Decided July 17, 2006.

Richard C. Wischusen argued the cause for appellant and cross-respondent (Reilly, Supple & Wischusen, attorneys; Alex W. Raybould, on the briefs).

Robert A. Porter, Cherry Hill, argued the cause for respondents and cross-appellants (Bafundo, Porter, Borbi & Clancy, attorneys).

David G. Evans submitted a brief on behalf of amicus curiae, Pacific Legal Foundation.

Justice ZAZZALI delivered the opinion of the Court.

In this appeal, we must determine whether a parent can bind a minor child to either a pre-injury waiver of liability or an agreement to arbitrate. In January 2003, twelve-year old Andrew Hojnowski was injured while skateboarding at a skate park facility operated by defendant Vans, Inc. (Vans). On a previous visit to the facility, Andrew's mother had executed a release on Andrew's behalf. That release contained a clause agreeing to submit any claims against Vans to arbitration, as well as a provision limiting Vans' liability. After Andrew and his parents (plaintiffs) brought suit seeking recovery for Andrew's injuries, Vans filed for commercial arbitration. Plaintiffs then moved to enjoin arbitration and to invalidate the liability release signed by Andrew's mother.

The trial court found that plaintiffs were bound by the arbitration provision and dismissed their complaint without prejudice. The court declined to rule on whether the liability release was valid, concluding that that issue should be determined by the arbitrator. On appeal, the Appellate Division unanimously voted to uphold the arbitration provision but divided on the validity of the liability release. The majority determined that a pre-injury release of liability executed by a parent on behalf of a minor child violates public policy and is therefore unenforceable. The dissent argued that the court should have deferred to the parent's decision to enter into the agreement and enforced the waiver. We affirm the majority and hold that although a parent may agree to bind a minor child to an arbitration provision, which in essence constitutes a choice of forum, a parent may not bind a minor child to a pre-injury release of a minor's prospective tort claims resulting from the minor's use of a commercial recreational facility. Pursuant to our parens patriae duty to protect the best interests of the child, we will not enforce such a release in the context of this case.

I.

In January 2003, twelve-year old Andrew Hojnowski and his mother, Anastasia Hojnowski, visited a Vans Store in Moorestown, New Jersey. Defendant Vans operated the retail store that sold skateboards and related merchandise and maintained a recreational skateboard facility. To enter the skate park, Vans required Andrew's mother to sign an exculpatory release. It appears that Andrew's mother did not execute a release on the date in question but had executed a release in December 2002, which Vans had kept on file.

The release, entitled "RELEASE AND WAIVER OF LIABILTY AND JURY TRIAL WITH INDEMNITY (FOR ALL VANS SKATEPARKS, STORES AND FACILITIES (COLLECTIVELY, `PARKS') IN NEW JERSEY)," begins by stating:

Please read this document. It affects Your legal rights against Vans, Inc. if you are injured. Do not sign this document unless you understand it. If You are a minor, Your parent or guardian is required to sign this legal document.

The document then provides, in relevant part:

2. Can You Make A Claim For Money If You Are Injured?

If you are injured and want to make a claim, you must file a demand before the American Arbitration Association (the "AAA"). . . . You agree that any dispute between You and Vans will be decided by the AAA. Vans, Inc. will pay all costs of the arbitration for You . . . .

3. Vans Is Asking You To Give Up Legal Rights in Order to Enter This Park

Because using Vans' Park, or even entering the Park as a spectator may increase your risk of harm, Vans is asking you to give up certain valuable legal rights. Here are the rights you are giving up when you sign this document:

(a) You give up your right to sue Vans in a court of law.

(b) You give up your right to a trial by jury.

(c) You give up the right to claim money from Vans if you are injured unless Vans intentionally failed to prevent or correct a hazard caused by unsafe equipment or devices.

(d) You give up the right to claim money from Vans if you wait more than one year from the injury in order to make a claim.

(e) You give up the right to claim money from Vans, Inc. if you are injured by another person.

(f) You give up the right to recover damages to punish or make an example of Vans, Inc.

4. Rights You Do Not Give Up

You do not give up the right:

(a) To have safe equipment, structures and devices at the Park for Your intended use.

(b) To claim compensation for Your injury from Vans, Inc. if you are hurt because the equipment, structures and devices at the Park are not safe for Your intended use.

....

(e) To make a claim if Vans, Inc. or anyone working for Vans, Inc. intentionally hurts you.

5. Who Is Bound By This Document?

You are bound by this document. Anyone who has or can obtain Your rights is also bound by this document, such as Your family, relatives, guardians, executors or anyone responsible for You....

6. Other Information Important For You To Know

You have the right to demand money if You believe Vans, Inc. intentionally caused You harm. If parts of this document are determined to be invalid, then that portion will be unenforceable and the remainder of the document will continue in full legal force and effect....

Following those provisions, Andrew's mother answered "Yes" to the question: "Do You understand that You are giving up rights by signing this document if You are hurt?" The document also informed customers that "[b]y signing this document You agree that Vans, Inc. may rely on Your answers." Andrew's mother signed the release on Andrew's behalf in the space provided beneath that provision.

Plaintiffs claim that, during his use of Vans' facility in January 2003, Andrew suffered a fractured femur when an aggressive skateboarder, about whom his parents had complained to Vans, forced him off a skateboard ramp. Consequently, in August 2003, Andrew, acting through his parents as guardians ad litem, and his parents, in their own right, filed suit against Vans. Their complaint alleges that Vans "negligently fail[ed] to supervise the activities at the skate park, negligently failed to control activities of aggressive skateboarders, negligently failed to warn Plaintiffs' parents that the activities of aggressive skateboarders would not be monitored, and negligently failed to provide a safe place to skateboard." Plaintiffs also filed suit against an unnamed corporate owner and insurance company. Vans responded by filing a demand for commercial arbitration with the American Arbitration Association. Plaintiffs then moved to enjoin the arbitration and to invalidate the pre-injury release signed by Andrew's mother, and Vans cross-moved for summary judgment. The trial court granted Vans' motion, dismissing plaintiffs' complaint without prejudice and ordering arbitration. The trial court, however, did not rule on the validity of the liability release, finding that the issue is "for the arbitrators to determine."

On appeal, the Appellate Division unanimously affirmed the trial court's grant of summary judgment concerning the validity of the arbitration provision. Hojnowski v. Vans Skate Park, 375 N.J.Super. 568, 574-75, 868 A.2d 1087 (App.Div.2005). The panel held that "a parent can enter into an enforceable contract, binding on the parent's minor child, that waives the right to trial by jury of the minor's bodily injury claims and requires submission of `any dispute' to arbitration." Ibid. The panel also found that because the validity of a pre-injury liability waiver presents a question of public policy, the trial court should have ruled on the waiver's validity and not referred that question to the arbitrator. Id. at 581-82, 868 A.2d 1087. The panel then divided on the resolution of that issue.

The majority concluded that, under the circumstances of this matter, a parent lacks the authority "to sign a pre-tort agreement limiting the liability of a tortfeasor to exclude negligent conduct" and therefore voided the release. Id. at 583, 868 A.2d 1087. The majority reasoned that "the judiciary must stand as guardians of the State's children" and that

[w]ere [the court] to decide otherwise, [it] would be relieving an alleged wrongdoer from its traditional legal responsibility to provide compensation for injuries caused by its negligence and shifting the economic burden to families, public welfare agencies and private charities without any concomitant benefit to either an injured child or his parents.

[Id. at 590, 868 A.2d 1087.]

Judge Fisher dissented, arguing that the court should have enforced the liability waiver and deferred to a parent's decision regarding such matters. Id. at 591-92, 868 A.2d 1087 (Fisher, J., concurring in part and dissenting in part). In his view, "in the absence of parental unfitness, courts should not overrule parental decisions but should instead defer to a parent's own weighing of the benefits and risks when entering into agreements that relate to the activities of their children." Id. at 592, 868 A.2d 1087 (Fisher, J., concurring in part and dissenting in part).

Vans appealed to this Court as of right on the...