Hohe

Plaintiff Sara Hohe (Hohe), a minor, by her guardian ad litem, Steven Hohe, appeals after the court granted summary judgment in favor of defendants San Diego Unified School District (School District) and Mission Bay High School Parent, Teacher and Student Association (PTSA). The court found the releases signed by Hohe and Steven Hohe on his daughter’s behalf barred her personal injury lawsuit. Hohe contends the court erred because the releases are contrary to public policy, unenforceable because of her minority and unenforceable because of fraud in the inducement. She also argues the written release did not clearly notify her or her parent of its effect. We conclude a triable issue of fact exists regarding the releases’ scope and effect. We therefore reverse the judgment. Accordingly, PTSA is not entitled to attorney fees or costs.

Facts

Hohe, a 15-year-old junior at Mission Bay High School in San Diego, was injured during a campus hypnotism show sponsored by the PTSA as a fund *1563 raiser for the senior class. Hypnotism shows had been held annually since 1980.

Hohe was one of 18 or 20 subjects selected at random from a group of many volunteers. Her participation in…

Although Iagree completely with sections I through III of the majority opinion, I dissent from the conclusion 1 reached *1569 in section IV. The release signed here clearly, plainly, and unambiguously informs a signer it is a release of “all liability, loss or damage . . . caused by or arising in any manner from my participation in the Magic of the Mind Show.” (Italics added.) In all fairness, it is difficult to imagine what more any drafter could do to advise a layperson the release covers all types of liability than to say so.

Of course, I acknowledge the series of cases stating the word “negligence” must be used if negligence is to be released. (See, e.g., Ferrell v. Southern Nevada Off-Road Enthusiasts, Ltd. (1983) 147 Cal.App.3d 309, 319 [ 195 Cal.Rptr. 90 ].)

However, as the majority correctly notes, the validity of a release should not turn on “magic” words. Instead, the issue is whether a layperson such as Hohe understood, from whatever language used, that she was releasing persons from negligence liability.

With this in mind, I turn (as does the majority) to the question of the parties’ intention when these release forms were signed. In resolving this question, the…

Plaintiff Sara Hohe (Hohe), a minor, by her guardian ad litem, Steven Hohe, appeals after the court granted summary judgment in favor of defendants San Diego Unified School District (School District) and Mission Bay High School Parent, Teacher and Student Association (PTSA). The court found the releases signed by Hohe and Steven Hohe on his daughter's behalf barred her personal injury lawsuit. Hohe contends the court erred because the releases are contrary to public policy, unenforceable because of her minority and unenforceable because of fraud in the inducement. She also argues the written release did not clearly notify her or her parent of its effect. We conclude a triable issue of fact exists regarding the releases' scope and effect. We therefore reverse the judgment. Accordingly, PTSA is not entitled to attorney fees or costs.

Hohe, a 15-year-old junior at Mission Bay High School in San Diego, was injured during a campus hypnotism show sponsored by the PTSA as a fund-raiser for the senior class. Hypnotism shows had been held annually since 1980.

Hohe was one of 18 or 20 subjects selected at random from a group of many volunteers. Her participation in…