Curtis v. Bill Byrd Automotive, Inc.

579 So. 2d 590, 1990 WL 255856
CourtSupreme Court of Alabama
DecidedMay 27, 1991
Docket89-1581
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 579 So. 2d 590 (Curtis v. Bill Byrd Automotive, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Curtis v. Bill Byrd Automotive, Inc., 579 So. 2d 590, 1990 WL 255856 (Ala. 1991).

Opinion

579 So.2d 590 (1990)

George L. CURTIS, Jr.
v.
BILL BYRD AUTOMOTIVE, INC., et al.

89-1581.

Supreme Court of Alabama.

December 21, 1990.
Dissenting Opinion May 27, 1991.

*591 Timothy M. Grogan, Mobile, for appellant.

Ralph Loveless of Loveless & Banks, Mobile, for appellees.

STEAGALL, Justice.

This is an appeal from a summary judgment entered in favor of defendants Bill Byrd Automotive, Inc., and Bill Wilson on the fraud and contract claims of George L. Curtis, Jr., with regard to Curtis's purchase of a 1985 Nissan Sentra station wagon from Bill Byrd Automotive. On appeal, Curtis complains only of the ruling on the fraud claim; therefore, we need not address the contract claim. The only issue raised is whether a genuine issue of material fact existed as to whether Curtis "reasonably relied" on alleged misrepresentations made by representatives of Bill Byrd Automotive.

Appellees, however, by motion to dismiss the appeal, raise a procedural issue: whether the notice of appeal that referenced only the final order of the court—an order dismissing the case as to an unserved defendant—was jurisdictionally flawed. Specifically, the appellees point out that the plaintiff's notice of appeal stated that the plaintiff was appealing from the court's order of March 14, 1990 (dismissing an unserved defendant), and, from this fact, they argue that the plaintiff cannot raise on appeal issues relating not to that order of dismissal but to the March 2, 1990, summary judgment in favor of the appellees. Initially, we address the procedural issue.

Citing pertinent rules of civil and appellate procedure and Edmondson v. Blakey, 341 So.2d 481 (Ala.1976), the appellees argue the following in support of their motion to dismiss:

"Prior to March 1, 1982, the fact that [one defendant was unserved] would have prevented a final judgment from being entered except upon the trial court's express finding [that there is no just reason for delay] and [its] direction [for entry of judgment]. However, the March 1982 amendment to rules 54(b) and 4(f), A.R.Civ.P., worked a change so that the existence of an unserved defendant no longer prevents the finality that would otherwise attach upon a summary judgment being granted in favor of all the other defendants. Thus, the March 2, 1990, order granting summary judgment in favor of Byrd and Wilson was a final judgment and ended the proceeding as to them.
"Inasmuch as Bill Byrd Automotive, Inc., and Bill Wilson had final judgments *592 in their favor some twelve days prior to the trial court's granting Curtis's motion to dismiss his own complaint against the unserved defendant, any ruling by this Court on the appeal from the trial court's March 14, 1990, order so dismissing as to [the unserved defendant] could have no effect whatsoever upon [Bill Byrd Automotive, Inc.] and Wilson. They were already out of the case. Even a reversal by this Court and a remand for trial as to [the unserved defendant] would not change their status. Accordingly, their motion to dismiss the appeal is due to be granted."

The appellees' argument is indeed a persuasive one, and, undoubtedly, under the Court's strict application of the rules that preceded our present rules of civil and appellate procedure, the appellees' motion to dismiss the appeal would have been granted. Here, however, we believe the "purpose and spirit" approach to the interpretation and application of our procedural rules requires that we hold the challenged notice of appeal sufficient to present the March 2, 1990, summary judgment for review. Although Curtis mistakenly believed that an order of dismissal of the unserved defendant was essential to effect a final, appealable judgment, his notice of appeal correctly listed as appellees only the two served defendants in whose favor summary judgment had been entered.

Upon receipt of the notice of appeal, neither this Court nor the appellees were misled with respect to who the parties were on appeal (a fact that distinguishes this case from Edmondson, supra); nor can it be fairly argued that the appellees were left in doubt with respect to which judgment Curtis was challenging on appeal. We observe also that the notice of appeal was filed within the 42-day period after the summary judgment was entered.

Moreover, the spirit of the rules is reflected in Rule 3(c), A.R.App.P.: "Such designation of judgment or order [i.e., the designation in the notice of appeal of the "judgment ... appealed from"] shall not, however, limit the scope of appellate review"; and in Rule 4(a)(1): "On an appeal from a judgment or order a party shall be entitled to a review of any judgment, order, or ruling of the trial court."

We now address the merits of the substantive issue presented by Curtis. According to Curtis's deposition testimony, after seeing an advertisement in a sales magazine for a 1985 Nissan Sentra station wagon, he visited the dealership of Bill Byrd Automotive in Mobile, Alabama. Upon arriving at the automobile sales lot, Curtis met Robert Moody, a salesman of Bill Byrd Automotive. Curtis expressed to Moody his interest in the advertised vehicle and Moody "showed" him the vehicle. Curtis said that he examined the vehicle and that, while he did so, he commented to Moody that it "seemed to have low mileage" and to be "in good shape," and he said that he told Moody he "wondered if it had been wrecked." Moody did not respond to the comment. Curtis alleged that he and Moody then test drove the vehicle and continued to generally discuss the features of the car. According to Curtis, at no point did Moody ever acknowledge Curtis's comment about wondering if the vehicle had been wrecked. Soon after the test drive, Curtis left the sales lot.

Several days later, Curtis returned to the dealership to inspect the Nissan vehicle again. Moody and Curtis took it for a second test drive, during which Curtis drove it to his residence to show his wife. While at his residence, Curtis said, he checked the vehicle for "oil leaks" and "water leaks." After positioning himself "underneath" the vehicle, Curtis said, he discovered an oil leak and pointed it out to Moody. Curtis said that Moody assured him that the leak was "no problem" and would be fixed by the dealership. Moody and Curtis then returned to Bill Byrd Automotive.

According to Curtis, upon returning to the dealership, he and Moody met with Bill Wilson, the service manager of the dealership, and Curtis informed Wilson of the problem with the oil leaking from the station wagon. Wilson, too, Curtis says, assured him that the leak was "no problem" and would be repaired by the dealership.

*593 Curtis says that Wilson then escorted him to the finance manager's office to arrange financing to enable Curtis to purchase the station wagon and that Wilson also urged Curtis to purchase a "service warranty" because, Curtis says, while Wilson claimed that he had "checked the car out and it was in good shape," Wilson said the warranty would cover any repairs that might be needed. Curtis did not purchase the warranty, but bought the Nissan Sentra for $6,600 and signed an "`AS IS' USED VEHICLE RETAIL BUYER'S ORDER," along with a "Buyer's Guide."

Curtis said that over the next 18 months he replaced the clutch and transmission assembly on the Nissan Sentra on four occasions, and, realizing that there was a serious problem with the vehicle, had it inspected by Pat Jones of P & M Auto.

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Bluebook (online)
579 So. 2d 590, 1990 WL 255856, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/curtis-v-bill-byrd-automotive-inc-ala-1991.