Carman v. Carman

758 P.2d 710, 114 Idaho 551, 1988 Ida. App. LEXIS 87
CourtIdaho Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 26, 1988
Docket16610
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 758 P.2d 710 (Carman v. Carman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Carman v. Carman, 758 P.2d 710, 114 Idaho 551, 1988 Ida. App. LEXIS 87 (Idaho Ct. App. 1988).

Opinion

SWANSTROM, Judge.

Cherie Carman brought this tort action against her former husband, John Carman, and against other persons allegedly involved in a scheme to defraud her. The suit relates to certain events that occurred during a divorce action between John and Cherie. Cherie alleges that John had prior knowledge of a magistrate’s decision on property division, and that with this knowledge he fraudulently induced her to accept a settlement less favorable than the magistrate’s decision. Kootenai County was added as a defendant in the suit after Cherie learned that a deputy court clerk may have *552 prematurely revealed the magistrate’s forthcoming decision. The district court dismissed the action against Kootenai County on a motion for partial summary judgment. Upon certification of the judgment, Cherie appealed. The main issues are whether Cherie’s claim against the county is barred by a statute of limitations and whether a genuine question of material fact exists, precluding summary judgment. We vacate the summary judgment and remand for further proceedings.

We will first note our role in this controversy. Our review on appeal from summary judgment is limited to determining whether there is a genuine question as to any material fact and, if not, whether the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. First Security Bank of Idaho v. Absco Warehouse, 104 Idaho 853, 664 P.2d 281 (Ct.App.1983). If a jury trial has been requested, we liberally construe the facts in the record, and draw all reasonable inferences from those facts, in favor of the non-moving party. Pullin v. Victor, 103 Idaho 879, 655 P.2d 86 (Ct.App.1982); Bennett v. Bliss, 103 Idaho 358, 647 P.2d 814 (Ct.App.1982). The record we examine consists of all the motions, affidavits, depositions, pleadings and attached exhibits, viewed collectively, not individually. Central Idaho Agency, Inc. v. Turner, 92 Idaho 306, 442 P.2d 442 (1968). Circumstantial evidence may create a genuine issue of material fact sufficient to withstand summary judgment. Petricevich v. Salmon River Canal Co., 92 Idaho 865, 452 P.2d 362 (1969). If the evidence is such that conflicting inferences can be drawn therefrom, and if reasonable minds might reach different conclusions, summary judgment is inappropriate. Ashby v. Hubbard, 100 Idaho 67, 593 P.2d 402 (1979).

When the record is construed most favorably to Cherie, it reveals the following facts. John and Cherie were divorced in July, 1974, but the division of the property was not then resolved. In the spring of 1977 a court hearing was held in the divorce action to determine the amount and value of the Carmans’ community property prior to division. James Frank, a friend of John Carman, testified at the hearing. Frank worked in John’s well-drilling business. The deputy court clerk at the hearing, Phyllis Gray (now Phyllis Peters), was formerly a secretary to Frank.

Weeks later, on the evening of July 11 or July 12,1977, Peters accompanied Frank to a tavern in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. At the tavern Frank and Peters sat with two attorneys. One of the attorneys, James English, had represented John at the property hearing. The group’s conversation turned to the possible outcome of the magistrate’s decision on the property division. The consensus was that John would be the clear loser because of impeachment of his testimony at the hearing.

The following morning Frank reported to John the outcome of the prior evening’s discussion. On the morning of July 13, John telephoned Cherie seeking a settlement. John claimed that he was pressed for time because of a “business deal” and urged Cherie to settle by 2:00 p.m. A settlement was reached prior to John’s deadline. At 3:56 p.m. the magistrate’s decision was filed by Deputy Court Clerk Phyllis Peters. The magistrate’s decision provided substantially more benefit to Cherie than she received in the settlement.

After Cherie learned of the magistrate’s decision she began to suspect John had prior knowledge, but she had no evidence to substantiate the claim. She periodically called John through 1978 and 1979. Whenever she raised her suspicions, John always denied prior knowledge. As part of the settlement agreement, John, his new wife, and his parents signed a promissory note to Cherie for $90,000. $20,000 was paid initially with the remainder to be paid in $900 monthly installments. In 1981 Cherie brought an action against John to collect on the settlement. About this time John told Cherie that he was seeking bankruptcy relief which would “wipe out” his remaining obligation on the note. Cherie again questioned John on whether he had prior knowledge of the magistrate’s decision. John continued to deny any knowledge. When asked whether the “girl” at the court had told him about the decision, John denied any complicity. Cherie also ques *553 tioned Frank about his prior knowledge of the decision. Frank denied that he or anyone else had prior knowledge.

In November 1983, under oath at his bankruptcy hearing, John admitted he had prior knowledge of the magistrate’s decision. John testified that his knowledge came from Frank, but he said he did not know whether the “girl” at the court had told Frank. Cherie then filed this action against John, against his wife, against his parents as co-signers of the settlement agreement, and against Frank, alleging fraudulent inducement. Frank’s deposition was taken in August 1984. There he revealed his acquaintance and prior association with Peters, the “girl” at the court. But Frank maintained that Peters had made no disclosure and that the only information he relayed to John was the conclusion of the group at the tavern pertaining to John’s poor prospects in the property division. Following this deposition Cherie filed a mandatory notice of tort claim with Kootenai County, and on November 14, 1984, she amended her complaint to include the county as a defendant.

By affidavit, John’s divorce attorney, James English, denied discussing John’s position in the case with anyone. He further indicated that the magistrate’s decision “surprised” him because he expected a favorable result for John. In her affidavit, Deputy Court Clerk Peters stated that she never released the contents of any unfiled decision to Frank or anyone else.

With the record in this posture, the district court granted summary judgment to the county on four separate grounds. First, no genuine question of material fact concerning prior disclosure of the decision existed and the county was entitled to summary judgment. Second, the claim against the county was barred by the notice provisions of the Idaho Tort Claims Act. Third, the claim against the county was barred by the limitation provision of I.C. § 5-224. Fourth, assuming a breach of confidentiality by Peters, the breach was not the proximate cause of Cherie’s damage.

I

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
758 P.2d 710, 114 Idaho 551, 1988 Ida. App. LEXIS 87, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/carman-v-carman-idahoctapp-1988.