Evans v. Lochmere Recreation Club, Inc.

627 S.E.2d 340, 176 N.C. App. 724, 2006 N.C. App. LEXIS 599
CourtCourt of Appeals of North Carolina
DecidedMarch 21, 2006
DocketNo. COA05-956.
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 627 S.E.2d 340 (Evans v. Lochmere Recreation Club, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Evans v. Lochmere Recreation Club, Inc., 627 S.E.2d 340, 176 N.C. App. 724, 2006 N.C. App. LEXIS 599 (N.C. Ct. App. 2006).

Opinion

BRYANT, Judge.

Hugh K. Evans and Jackie Evans (plaintiffs) appeal from an order entered 27 April 2005 dismissing their claims against Lochmere Recreation Club, Inc. (defendant). We reverse the order of the trial court and remand for further proceedings.

Facts & Procedural History

In 1994, plaintiff Hugh Evans (Evans) filed suit against MacGregor Development Co. (MacGregor) and Lochmere Swim & Tennis Club, Inc. (LSTC), claiming the noise from the speakers and crowds located at the Swim Club interfered with the use and enjoyment of his property. At trial, a jury found in favor of Evans and awarded him $50,000.00 in compensatory damages and $135,000.00 in punitive damages. The trial court further granted a permanent injunction and restraining order against MacGregor and LSTC instructing them to take measures, such as repositioning their speakers, to reduce the noise encroachment on plaintiff's property. This final judgment was affirmed on appeal. Evans v. MacGregor Dev., No. 96-232, 126 N.C.App. 224, 491 S.E.2d 566 (N.C.App. May 6, 1997). In 1998 defendant Lochmere Recreation Club acquired the property from LSTC.

Plaintiffs initiated the instant civil action against defendant on 22 December 2004, alleging that between May and September of each year from 1998-2004, defendant operated their swim and tennis club in a manner that created a nuisance. Plaintiff's complaint listed several different ways in which plaintiffs assert that defendant caused an unreasonable interference with the enjoyment of their home. Plaintiffs initially sought a permanent injunction against defendant's alleged nuisance and damages for trespass, intentional infliction of emotional distress, contempt for the enforcement of a prior injunction, nuisance, and damages for violations of the local noise control ordinance. On 13 January 2005, defendant moved to dismiss plaintiffs' complaint under Rule 12(b)(6). On 5 April 2005, plaintiffs filed an amendment to their complaint retracting their claims for contempt, trespass, and violations of the noise control ordinance.

Defendant's motion was heard on 5 April 2005 before the Honorable Howard E. Manning, Jr. On 27 April 2005, the trial court granted defendant's motion to dismiss finding plaintiffs had received "permanent damages" as well as prior injunctive relief for the nuisance created by the swim and tennis club as a result of the 1994 lawsuit. The trial court dismissed all of plaintiffs' claims, although the claim for violation of the 1994 permanent injunction was dismissed without prejudice to allow Evans to seek enforcement of the 1994 permanent injunction. Plaintiffs' current claims seeking damages for violation of the 1994 permanent injunction and seeking further injunctive relief against defendant were dismissed on the basis that the proper recourse was for plaintiffs to seek enforcement of the 1994 judgment. The trial court further dismissed plaintiffs' claims for damages for nuisance due to the previous recovery of "permanent" economic damages by Evans. Plaintiffs appeal.

Plaintiffs argue that the trial court erred in dismissing their claim for private nuisance. For the reasons below, we reverse the order of the trial court dismissing plaintiffs' claim for private nuisance and remand for further proceedings.

Standard of Review

"The system of notice pleading affords a sufficiently liberal construction of complaints so that few fail to survive a motion to dismiss." Ladd v. Estate of Kellenberger, 314 N.C. 477, 481, 334 S.E.2d 751, 755 (1985) (citations omitted). In considering a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, the trial court must determine whether the factual allegations in the complaint state a claim for relief. Sutton v. Duke, 277 N.C. 94, 176 S.E.2d 161 (1970). A plaintiff must state the "substantive elements of a legally recognized claim" in order to survive a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss. Booher v. Frue, 86 N.C.App. 390, 392, 358 S.E.2d 127, 128 (1987) (citations omitted). To support a complaint for private nuisance, a plaintiff must allege "sufficient facts from which it may be determined *342what liability forming conduct is being complained of and what injury plaintiffs have suffered." Hill v. Perkins, 84 N.C.App. 644, 648, 353 S.E.2d 686, 689 (1987). When hearing a motion to dismiss, the trial court must take the complaint's allegations as true and determine whether they are "`sufficient to state a claim upon which relief may be granted under some legal theory.'" Newberne v. Dep't of Crime Control & Pub. Safety, 359 N.C. 782, 784, 618 S.E.2d 201, 203 (2005) (quoting Meyer v. Walls, 347 N.C. 97, 111, 489 S.E.2d 880, 888 (1997)).

Sufficiency of Complaint

"[A] private nuisance exists in a legal sense when one makes an improper use of his own property and in that way injures the land or some incorporeal right of one's neighbor." Morgan v. High Penn Oil Co., 238 N.C. 185, 193, 77 S.E.2d 682, 689 (1953) (citations omitted).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
627 S.E.2d 340, 176 N.C. App. 724, 2006 N.C. App. LEXIS 599, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/evans-v-lochmere-recreation-club-inc-ncctapp-2006.