Repose Never Goes

PGA W. Residential Assoc. v. Hulven Int’l, Inc., No. E064270 (D5 Aug. 23, 2017)

Debt collection action where the Debtor alleges that a fraudulent transfer claim is time-barred under the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act. But while Debtor raised the issue on a demurrer, he did not address it at trial. According to the Court, that doesn’t matter. 

As the substantive discussion in the case explains, the UTFA doesn’t just have a statute of limitations; it has a statute of repose. Once the period has run, any unfiled cause of action ceases to exist. As such it isn’t subject to tolling. Moreover, although it’s a question of first impression in California, the Court follows the majority rule to hold that the benefits of a statute of repose can’t be forfeited. So the failure to raise the defense at trial doesn’t preclude the court from holding that the trial court erred by not granting Debtor’s demurrer on timeliness grounds.

Reversed.