Barlowe v. Aaaa International Driving, Unpublished Decision (10-24-2003)

2003 Ohio 5748
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 24, 2003
DocketC.A. Case No. 19794, T.C. Case No. 99 CV 05112.
StatusUnpublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 2003 Ohio 5748 (Barlowe v. Aaaa International Driving, Unpublished Decision (10-24-2003)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Barlowe v. Aaaa International Driving, Unpublished Decision (10-24-2003), 2003 Ohio 5748 (Ohio Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

OPINION
{¶ 1} Susan and Clarence Barlowe appeal from a judgment of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas, which granted summary judgment in favor of Susan Barlowe's employer, AAAA International Driving School, Inc. ("AAAA"), on her claims of retaliation, disability discrimination, negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress, and violation of public policy.

{¶ 2} On October 15, 1998, Susan Barlowe ("Barlowe") was employed as a behind the wheel driving instructor for AAAA. On that date, she was involved in an automobile accident, causing her to be unable to work. Barlowe filed a workers' compensation claim stemming from the accident. On May 3, 1999, she was released by her physician to return to work, at which time she was scheduled as a part-time classroom instructor. Barlowe returned to work for AAAA from May, 1999, through October, 1999, and from December, 1999, through September, 2000. She has not worked for AAAA since that time.

{¶ 3} In June of 1999, Defendant placed newspaper advertisements for driving instructors. According to Barlowe, these advertisements were placed in retaliation for her filing a workers' compensation claim. Consequently, on November 18, 1999, Barlowe filed a complaint, asserting claims of disability discrimination, in violation of R.C. Ch. 4112; negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress; and retaliatory discharge due to her filing of a workers' compensation claim. Barlowe's husband asserted a claim for loss of consortium. On October 3, 2000, AAAA filed a Motion to Dismiss Barlowe's claims of disability discrimination and retaliatory discharge under R.C. 4123.90, on the ground that she had failed to comply with the ninety day notice requirement in that statute. The trial court granted the Motion. On February 16, 2001, the Barlowes filed a First Amended Complaint, reasserting claims of the disability discrimination under R.C. Ch. 4112, emotional distress, retaliatory discharge, and loss of consortium. Therein, they indicated that the trial court had dismissed her workers' compensation retaliation claim for failing to meet the notice requirement of R.C. 4123.90. Barlowe also alleged an additional claim of disability discrimination in violation of public policy, in accordance with Greeleyv. Miami Valley Contractors, Inc.(1990), 49 Ohio. St.3d 228,551 N.E.2d 981.

{¶ 4} On February 26, 2002, AAAA filed a Motion for Summary Judgment on all of the Barlowes' remaining claims. Prior to ruling on AAAA's Motion, the trial judge retired, and the action was reassigned to another common pleas judge. On January 31, 2003, the trial court sustained AAAA's Motion. Specifically, the court noted that the claims of retaliatory discharge and disability discrimination had been dismissed by that court on November 22, 2000. It granted summary judgment on the public policy claim, indicating that the jeopardy element of her claim had not been met. The trial court also granted summary judgment on Barlowe's emotional distress claims and her husband's derivative loss of consortium claim.

{¶ 5} Barlowe raises two assignments of error on appeal.

{¶ 6} "I. THE TRIAL COURT COMMITTED AN ERROR OF LAW IN GRANTING SUMMARY JUDGMENT TO THE DEFENDANT ON PLAINTIFF'S CLAIMS FOR DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION PURSUANT TO R.C. 4112 AND FOR WRONGFUL DISCHARGE IN VIOLATION OF PUBLIC POLICY BECAUSE IT IMPROPERLY APPLIED THE PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS OF REVISED CODE SECTION 4123.90 CONCERNING PLAINTIFF'S SEPARATE CLAIM FOR WORKER'S COMPENSATION RETALIATION."

{¶ 7} Barlowe challenges the trial court's decision which granted summary judgment on her disability discrimination claim under R.C. Ch. 4112. She asserts that the trial court failed to recognize that she had alleged disability discrimination, in violation of R.C. Ch. 4112, as a separate and alternative claim to her retaliatory discharge claim, based on her filing and pursuing a workers' compensation claim. She further argues that she was not required to elect between R.C. Ch. 4112 and R.C.4123.90, and that the notice requirement of R.C. 4123.90 is inapplicable to her claim under R.C. Ch. 4112. In addition, Barlowe argues that, in granting summary judgment, the trial court incorrectly interpreted its prior ruling on the motion to dismiss by stating that the ruling had dismissed both her workers' compensation retaliatory discharge claim and her disability discrimination claim. In response, AAAA asserts that the trial court's November 22, 2000, decision dismissed both the disability discrimination claim and the retaliatory discharge claim. It further asserts that the trial court did not err in granting summary judgment on those claims, because it "simply followed the doctrine of the law of thecase when it adhered to the prior dismissal of the two claims."

{¶ 8} Our review of the trial court's decision to grant summary judgment is de novo. See Helton v. Scioto Cty. Bd. of Commrs. (1997),123 Ohio App.3d 158, 162, 703 N.E.2d 841. Civ.R. 56(C) provides that summary judgment may be granted when the moving party demonstrates that (1) there is no genuine issue of material fact, (2) the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law, and (3) viewing the evidence most strongly in favor of the nonmoving party, reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion and that conclusion is adverse to the party against whom the motion for summary judgment is made. See State ex rel. Grady v.State Emp. Relations Bd., 78 Ohio St.3d 181, 183, 677 N.E.2d 343,1997-Ohio-221; Harless v. Willis Day Warehousing Co. (1978),54 Ohio St.2d 64, 65-66, 8 O.O.3d 73, 375 N.E.2d 46.

{¶ 9} In Nolan v. Nolan (1984), 11 Ohio St.3d 1, 462 N.E.2d 410, the Supreme Court of Ohio explained the law of the case doctrine:

{¶ 10} "[T]he doctrine provides that the decision of a reviewing court in a case remains the law of that case on the legal questions involved for all subsequent proceedings in the case at both the trial and reviewing levels. * * *

{¶ 11} "[T]he doctrine functions to compel trial courts to follow the mandates of reviewing courts. Thus, where at a rehearing following remand a trial court is confronted with substantially the same facts and issues as were involved in the prior appeal, the court is bound to adhere to the appellate court's determination of the applicable law."

{¶ 12} 11 Ohio St.3d at 3

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Bluebook (online)
2003 Ohio 5748, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/barlowe-v-aaaa-international-driving-unpublished-decision-10-24-2003-ohioctapp-2003.