Anglin v. Household Retail Services, Inc.

17 F. Supp. 2d 1251, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13118, 1998 WL 537591
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Alabama
DecidedAugust 20, 1998
DocketCiv.A. 97-A-67-N
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 17 F. Supp. 2d 1251 (Anglin v. Household Retail Services, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Anglin v. Household Retail Services, Inc., 17 F. Supp. 2d 1251, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13118, 1998 WL 537591 (M.D. Ala. 1998).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

ALBRITTON, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

This case is before the court on a Motion for Summary Judgment filed by the Defendant, Household Retail Services, Inc. on November 21, 1997 and on a Motion for Summary Judgment filed by Household Retail Services, Household Bank (Nevada), N.A. and Household Bank (Illinois), N.A. on July 6,1998 (collectively “Household Defendants”) and on Household Retail Services’s Motion to Strike filed on December 22,1997.

The Plaintiff, Odester Anglin (“Anglin”) originally filed her Complaint in the Circuit Court of Barbour County, Alabama on December 16, 1996. In her Complaint, Anglin *1253 alleges that the Household Defendants engaged in fraud (Count I), deceit (Count II), misrepresentation (Count III), negligent hiring, training, and supervision (Count IV), wanton hiring, training, and supervision (Count V), and conspiracy to defraud (Count VI).

On January 16, 1997, the Household Defendants filed a Notice of Removal, stating that there was complete diversity of the parties and that the requisite jurisdictional amount was exceeded by Anglin’s claims, and that this court had jurisdiction because the instant case was related to the bankruptcy proceedings of National Wireless Cable Systems, Inc. No Motion for Remand was filed.

On April 8, 1997, Anglin filed a Motion to Dismiss National Wireless Cable Systems, Inc., which was granted by this court on April 22,1997.

On December 1, 1997, this court granted Anglin’s Motion to Amend her Complaint so as to add Household Bank (Illinois), N.A. to the original Complaint. On December 5, 1997, Anglin filed a Second Amendment to the Complaint, adding Household Bank (Nevada), N.A. as a defendant. 1

II. ‘FACTS

The submissions of the parties establish the following facts:

Household Retail Services is a private la-. bel credit card provider, which means that they set up and manage private label credit card programs for retailers and sellers in the marketplace. Such credit cards are accessible only with the specific retailer or entity for which the card was developed. Household Retail Services provided private label credit card financing for the satellite dish industry.

Anglin purchased a satellite system from a salesman named James Love who worked for National Wireless Cable Systems, Inc. Ang-lin contends that James Love told her that she would pay a specified amount of money for a certain number of years and that her satellite system would be paid off at the end of this period. In order to purchase the satellite system, Anglin opened a revolving credit account. Anglin contends that James Love told her that $8500 was the total cost of her purchase and did not explain that interest paid in order to finance the purchase would be in addition to that amount. Her claims in this case stem from what she contends was fraudulent conduct on the part of James Love.

III. SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD

, Under Rule 56(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, summary judgment is proper “if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986).

The party asking for summary judgment “always bears the initial responsibility of informing the district court of the basis for its motion, and identifying those portions of the ‘pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any,’ which it believes demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact.” Id. at 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548. The movant can meet this burden by presenting evidence showing there is no dispute of material fact, or by showing, or pointing out to, the district court that the nonmoving party has failed to present evidence in support of some element of its case on which it bears the ultimate burden of proof. Id. at 322-24, 106 S.Ct. 2548.

Once the moving party has met its burden, Rule 56(e) “requires the nonmoving party to go beyond the pleadings and by [its] own affidavits, or by the ‘depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file,’ designate ‘specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.’” Id. at 324, 106 S.Ct. 2548. To avoid summary judgment, the nonmoving party “must do more than show- that there is some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts.” Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 586, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 *1254 (1986). On the other hand, the evidence of the nonmovant must be believed and all justifiable inferences must be drawn in its favor. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, 477 U.S. 242, 255, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986).

After the nonmoving party has responded to the motion for summary judgment, the court must grant summary judgment if there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c).

IV. DISCUSSION

A. Fraud and Deceit Claims

Anglin has alleged that James Love made fraudulent representations, or failed to make full disclosures, and that the Household Defendants are responsible for these actions. Anglin argues that James Love was acting as an agent for the Household Defendants so that his fraudulent actions may be attributed to them.

The basis of Household Retail Services’s separate Motion for Summary Judgment is its contention that Anglin named the wrong defendant by suing Household Retail Services. Household Retail Services points to the Affidavit of Susan Nemec, in which she states that an account was opened for Anglin with Household Bank (Illinois) National Association and that the account has been assigned to Household Bank (Nevada) National Association. Susan Nemec Affidavit at ¶ 4. Susan Nemec also stated that Anglin does not have an account with Household Retail Services, nor has she had an account with Household Retail Services at any relevant time. Id. at ¶ 5.

Anglin states that there is evidence that Household Retail Services was an active participant in alleged wrongful conduct and that it conspired with others to defraud Ang-lin.

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17 F. Supp. 2d 1251, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13118, 1998 WL 537591, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/anglin-v-household-retail-services-inc-almd-1998.