Computer Network, Inc. v. AM General Corp.

696 N.W.2d 49, 265 Mich. App. 309
Michigan Court of Appeals·Decided April 15, 2005·No. Docket 248966·Published·Cited by 46 cases

Opinions

GRIFFIN, J.

Plaintiff appeals as of right an order granting defendants’ motions for summary disposition. We affirm in part and reverse in part.

i

On June 29, 2000, plaintiff, through action of its president John Deskovitz, leased a 2000 Hummer vehicle manufactured by defendant AM General Corporation. Plaintiff obtained a thirty-month lease expiring in December 2002 through defendant Pfeiffer Infiniti, Inc. But, before expiration of the lease, plaintiff filed the instant lawsuit alleging that the vehicle required repairs on at least fourteen1 occasions during the lease period and that it was out of service for an unreasonable amount of time. Plaintiff asserts that the documentary evidence submitted in opposition to defendants’ motions established that the vehicle was out of service for repairs for 199 days during the thirty-month lease.2 Plaintiff claimed that problems with the vehicle necessitating repairs included engine problems, starting problems, malfunctioning turn signals, power steering fluid leaks, excessive vibration, defective steering, malfunctioning gauges, defective air conditioning, odometer and speedometer malfunctions, defective heating, malfunctioning cruise control, inoperable CD player, excessive rust, and defective painting. Following a hear[312] ing on motions for summary disposition brought by both defendants under MCR 2.116(C)(10), the trial court granted summary disposition in favor of defendants on eight claims under MCR 2.116(C)(8), and one claim under MCR 2.116(0(10).

ii

Plaintiff initially argues that the trial court erroneously granted summary disposition under MCR 2.116(C)(8), where defendants moved for summary disposition under MCR 2.116(C) (10). Plaintiff argues that the trial court lacked the authority to grant sua sponte summary disposition under MCR 2.116(C)(8), and that summary disposition under this subrule was also improper because it was not given an opportunity to oppose such a motion. We disagree.

A trial court is not necessarily constrained by the subrule under which a party moves for summary disposition. It is well-settled that, where a party brings a motion for summary disposition under the wrong sub-rule, a trial court may proceed under the appropriate subrule if neither party is misled. Blair v Checker Cab Co, 219 Mich App 667, 670-671; 558 NW2d 439 (1996); Ruggeri Electrical Contracting Co, Inc v Algonac, 196 Mich App 12, 18; 492 NW2d 469 (1992). In this case, plaintiff was neither misled nor prejudiced by the trial court’s consideration of defendants’ motions under MCR 2.116(C)(8).

“ ‘A motion under MCR 2.116(C)(8) tests the legal sufficiency of the complaint.'” Adair v Michigan, 470 Mich 105, 119; 680 NW2d 386 (2004) (citation deleted). The pleadings alone are considered. Corley v Detroit Bd of Ed, 470 Mich 274, 277; 681 NW2d 342 (2004). “ ‘All well-pleaded factual allegations are accepted as true [313] and construed in a light most favorable to the nonmovant.’” Adair, supra at 119 (citation deleted). The motion should be granted where the claims are “ ‘so clearly unenforceable as a matter of law that no factual development could possibly justify recovery’ ” Id., quoting Maiden v Rozwood, 461 Mich 109, 119; 597 NW2d 817 (1999). Because a grant of summary disposition rests on a review of the pleadings alone, the lack of argument from plaintiff with respect to the legal sufficiency of the claims is not necessarily an impediment to a grant of summary disposition under that subrule. Plaintiff formulated its own pleadings. Further, it was aware of the legal arguments offered by defendants and had a full opportunity to respond to those arguments. In ruling on the motions for summary disposition, the trial court believed that the arguments offered by defendants, to which plaintiff responded, required summary disposition under subrule C(8), not subrule C(10). While the propriety of the underlying ruling is subject to challenge, the fact that the trial court granted the motion under subrule C(8), standing alone, is insufficient to warrant reversal.

In reaching our decision, we emphasize that our review of summary disposition decisions is done de novo. Quality Products & Concepts Co v Nagel Precision, Inc, 469 Mich 362, 369; 666 NW2d 251 (2003). Moreover, even if a trial court errs in granting summary disposition under the wrong subrule, this Court may review the issue under the correct subrule. See Spiek v Dep’t of Transportation, 456 Mich 331, 338 n 9; 572 NW2d 201 (1998). Also, it is axiomatic that this Court will not reverse a trial court’s decision if the correct result is reached for the wrong reason. Lane v KinderCare Learning Centers, Inc, 231 Mich App 689, 697; 588 NW2d 715 (1998).

[314] hi

With respect to plaintiffs claims for breach of express warranty, plaintiff concedes that the language of the lease for the 2000 Hummer contained express language disclaiming any warranty by defendant Pfe-iffer Infiniti. Because Pfeiffer Infiniti did not provide an express warranty, summary disposition of plaintiffs express warranty claim against Pfeiffer Infiniti was warranted.

AM General offered an express warranty. However, no material question of fact existed with respect to breach of that warranty. John Deskovitz, plaintiffs principal, testified at his deposition that repairs were never refused. The record revealed that warranty repairs were made each of the seventeen times the vehicle was presented for service. Because there was no question of material fact with respect to a breach, summary disposition under MCR 2.116(C) (10) was proper.

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Computer Network, Inc. v. AM General Corp., 696 N.W.2d 49, 265 Mich. App. 309 (Mich. Ct. App. 2005).

696 N.W.2d 49 (Computer Network, Inc. v. AM General Corp.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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