Crawford v. Custom Sign Co.

138 So. 3d 894, 2014 WL 1258556, 2014 Miss. LEXIS 173
CourtMississippi Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 27, 2014
DocketNos. 2011-CA-00120-SCT, 2007-CA-00322-SCT, 2007-CA-00322-SCT
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 138 So. 3d 894 (Crawford v. Custom Sign Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Mississippi Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Crawford v. Custom Sign Co., 138 So. 3d 894, 2014 WL 1258556, 2014 Miss. LEXIS 173 (Mich. 2014).

Opinions

PIERCE, Justice,

for the Court:

¶ 1. Michael Crawford initiated legal action in circuit court against Defendants Alex Jordan, Morris Transportation, and Custom Sign Company (Custom) based on a motor vehicle accident. First, Crawford filed a petition to perpetuate testimony in the Circuit Court of Coahoma County, Mississippi, to depose Jordan and Morris Transportation in an attempt to identify any additional defendants. The case was removed to federal court. After removal, Crawford filed a complaint in federal court. Crawford subsequently was granted leave from the federal court to file a complaint in the Circuit Court of Coahoma County against Jordan, Morris, and Custom. The case was later dismissed by the federal court based on premature removal since removal occurred before Crawford had filed a complaint.

¶2. Thereafter, Crawford filed a first amended complaint, styled and numbered as a separate cause of action in circuit court, pursuant to the savings statute. Miss.Code Ann. § 15-1-69 (Rev.2012). Defendants then moved to have both the original complaint and first amended complaint dismissed based on the argument that the federal-court action was dismissed rather than remanded, which would bar Crawford from proceeding on either complaint in circuit court. Alternatively, Defendants asserted that the suit was barred by the general three-year statute of limitations. Miss.Code Ann. § 15-1-49. Defendants also alleged that the one-year savings statute did not apply because the federal court granted Crawford’s voluntary motion to dismiss, which was not a dismissal for a matter of form in accordance with Mississippi Code Section 15-1-69.

¶ 3. The trial court granted Defendants’ motion to dismiss with prejudice, and Crawford appealed to this Court. We reversed the dismissal, finding that the federal court’s dismissal was for a matter of form — lack of subject-matter jurisdiction. This Court also found that the original complaint filed during Crawford’s leave from federal court was a nullity, since the case ultimately was dismissed rather than remanded by the federal court. Nevertheless, the first amended complaint was filed after the federal court’s dismissal; therefore, it was deemed valid and timely filed within one year after the dismissal; thus the savings statute applied. Accordingly, the case was remanded.

¶ 4. On remand, Crawford settled with Jordan and Morris Transportation. Custom filed its answer and motion for summary judgment, submitting that Crawford’s claims were barred by the statute of repose. Miss.Code Ann. § 15-1-41. Crawford filed multiple responses to Custom’s motion for summary judgment, alleging fraudulent concealment, the inapplicability of the statute of repose, and waiver. The trial court granted Custom’s motion for summary judgment based on the statute of repose being applicable, thus barring Crawford’s claims. Crawford filed a motion to reconsider, which was denied by the trial court.

¶5. Crawford now appeals, requesting this Court remand the case for trial because (1) the statute of repose does not apply in this case, or alternatively, (2) Custom waived the right to such defense. Finding this cause of action should be reversed and remanded for further factual determinations regarding the applicability of the statute of repose, we will not address the issue of waiver. Therefore, this opinion will discuss whether the trial court erred in finding that there was no genuine issue of material fact, thus making the [897]*897statute of repose applicable to Custom, warranting a judgment as a matter of law.

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

¶ 6. In 2001, Jordan, while employed by Morris Transportation, was driving an eighteen-wheel tractor trailer through Clarksdale, Mississippi. As Jordan approached a railroad viaduct, he noticed a 13' 6" clearance warning while also noticing a “Welcome to Clarksdale” sign that was affixed to the underpass. Jordan believed that the bottom portion of the sign appeared to hang slightly below the underpass. Fearing he would not be able to clear the sign hanging from the underpass, Jordan stopped the tractor-trailer in the inner northbound lane to inspect the sign before attempting to proceed through the underpass. Consequently, Crawford, traveling in the same lane, approached the situation and was unable to avoid crashing into the eighteen-wheeler.

¶ 7. In 1997, Custom was hired to create the “Welcome to Clarksdale” sign to hang from a railroad underpass in Clarksdale. The sign’s placement was to cover damaged concrete on the viaduct. In making the sign, Custom used sign board from a sign originally made for Northwest Regional Medical Center, which was no longer in use. During the deposition of an employee of Custom, the employee stated that the sign was “reworked” to meet the specifications of the new sign. The employee further provided that only the panels from the original sign were used and that Custom had to make the tubing for the backside of the new sign.

¶ 8. Custom’s employee also provided that the order was placed by the City of Clarksdale through James Butler, who was the Director of Public Works for the city at that time. The order reads, “Bill to City of C’dale,” “Buyer James Butler.” The invoice reflecting payment reads, “Sold to City Beautification.” James Butler’s affidavit states that he was a member of the City Beautification Committee at the time the order was placed, and that the order was placed on behalf of the committee and not the city. Custom stated that it did not have the actual checks from the order, but the record does contain one check stub reading “Depository of the City of Clarksdale.” Repairs were made to the sign after its original placement. The repair invoice reads, “Sold to C’dale Flowers and Garden,” “James Butler,” while the repair order reads, “Sold to City of C’dale,” “James Butler.”

¶ 9. Custom’s employee also explained that, in some instances, Custom would obtain permits for signs before they were installed, but in this instance, it was under the belief that the city would obtain its own permit through James Butler. James Butler recounted that, to his knowledge, the sign company was responsible for obtaining the permit, and any permit would have been obtained through the State of Mississippi, because the city did not own the viaduct. The record does not contain any permit being obtained for the installation of the sign or any documentation revealing the owner of the viaduct.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

¶ 10. The trial court’s grant of summary judgment is reviewed de novo. Stuart v. Univ. of Miss. Med. Ctr., 21 So.3d 544, 546 (Miss.2009) (citing U.S. Fid. & Guar. Co. v. Martin, 998 So.2d 956, 962 (Miss.2008) (citations omitted)). This Court will affirm the trial court’s grant of summary judgment if it is clear that no genuine issue of material fact exists and a judgment as a matter of law is warranted. Id. at 547 (citing Miss. R. Civ. P. 56(c); Martin, 998 So.2d at 962).

[898]*898ANALYSIS

Whether the trial court erred in finding- no genuine issue of material fact as to whether this cause of action is barred by the statute of repose.

¶ 11.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
138 So. 3d 894, 2014 WL 1258556, 2014 Miss. LEXIS 173, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/crawford-v-custom-sign-co-miss-2014.