Fisher v. City of Cleveland

547 N.E.2d 1226, 48 Ohio App. 3d 44, 1988 Ohio App. LEXIS 1493
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 9, 1988
Docket53683
StatusPublished

This text of 547 N.E.2d 1226 (Fisher v. City of Cleveland) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fisher v. City of Cleveland, 547 N.E.2d 1226, 48 Ohio App. 3d 44, 1988 Ohio App. LEXIS 1493 (Ohio Ct. App. 1988).

Opinion

Krupansky, J.

Plaintiff-appellant, Diana Fisher, filed a complaint in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court against defendant, city of *45 Cleveland, alleging her employer, the city of Cleveland, committed an intentional tort and further alleging the defendant knew or should have known failure to provide adequate security at plaintiffs place of employment was substantially certain to cause injuries. In addition, the complaint alleges plaintiff was injured at work at the Fairfax Recreation Center when a nineteen-year-old girl struck plaintiff on the head with a board.

Defendant filed a motion for summary judgment and stated the following: (1) its failure to provide additional security at the recreational facility did not constitute an intentional tort; (2) plaintiffs injuries were not the proximate result of any failure to provide security; and (3) defendant’s actions involved the exercise of basic executive or planning functions and, therefore, defendant is immune from liability.

Defendant attached an affidavit and supporting evidentiary materials to its summary judgment motion indicating the city of Cleveland had investigated the utilization of several security systems to prevent break-ins and vandalism occurring after hours at the facility. The study resulted in a suggestion of a motion detector alarm system to be utilized after hours. However, based upon budgetary concerns installation of the alarm system was determined to be unfeasible.

Plaintiff’s brief in opposition alleges on July 10, 1985, plaintiff was physically threatened with assault by a Stacey Beckwith. Plaintiff’s brief further contends plaintiff’s supervisor, a Mr. Moore, was present when these threats occurred and Mr. Moore met with a commissioner to discuss the threat. The following day, plaintiff was assaulted by Stacey Beckwith. Plaintiff attached her answers to interrogatories to her brief in opposition to defendant’s summary judgment motion. Plaintiff’s answer to Interrogatory No. 43, which requested a narrative of all material facts surrounding the event, provides in pertinent part:

“On July 10, 1985 Stacey Bech-with [sic] requested to make up holiday time missed. Plaintiff called Stacey’s supervisor and was denied make-up. Plaintiff could not make her [Beck-with] understand that time denial was from supervisor. Stacey was extremely upset and she talked to Mr. Moore. At that time in the presence of Mr. Moore she told Plaintiff that she would assault her. Stacey went after Plaintiff on July 10, 1985 and Moore had to restrain Beckwith. Plaintiff left at 5:00 P.M. Commissioner and Moore met on issue. Moore told Plaintiff to have Beckwith transferred on the 11th of July 1985. She came through building with a 2x2 board. She knocked on the door, Plaintiff opened it, and was struck on the head. Ernest came to Plaintiff’s aid.”

Defendant’s summary judgment motion was granted. Judgment was journalized on March 30, 1987. Plaintiff filed a timely notice of appeal assigning the following two errors:

“I. Appellant clearly established that a genuine issue existed as to whether the circumstances at Fairfax Recreational Center and the city’s failure to provide security created a climate substantially certain to cause injury to its employee and satisfied] the requirements set forth in Jones v. VIP Development [Co.] (1984), 15 Ohio St. 3d 90.

“II. The Ohio Supreme Court decision, Enghauser Manufacturing Co. v. Eriksion [sic] Engineering, Ltd. [1983], 6 O[hio] St. 3d 31 * * *, cannot shield a municipal employer from liability for an intentional tort.”

Plaintiff’s assignments of error lack merit and are overruled.

Civ. R. 56(C) provides in pertinent part:

*46 “* * * Summary judgment shall be rendered forthwith if the pleading, depositions, answers to interrogatories, written admissions, affidavits, transcripts of evidence in the pending case, and written stipulations of fact, if any, timely filed in the action, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. No evidence or stipulation may be considered except as stated in this rule. A summary judgment shall not be rendered unless it appears from such evidence or stipulation and only therefrom, that reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion and that conclusion is adverse to the party against whom the motion for summary judgment is made, such party being entitled to have the evidence or stipulation construed most strongly in his favor. A summary judgment, interlocutory in character, may be rendered on the issue of liability alone although there is a genuine issue as to the amount of damages.” See, also, Harless v. Willis Day Warehousing Co. (1978), 54 Ohio St. 2d 64, 66, 8 O.O. 3d 73, 74, 375 N.E. 2d 46, 47. Furthermore, a reviewing court must view the record on appeal in a light most favorable to the nonmoving party. Williams v. First United Church of Christ (1974), 37 Ohio St. 2d 150, 152, 66 O.O. 2d 311, 312, 309 N.E. 2d 924, 925.

In the case sub judice there are no genuine material issues of fact and defendant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.

It is uncontroverted defendant’s decision to not install a security system involved executive and planning functions. Defendant arrived at the decision after studying the viability of security systems to protect park property from vandalism and break-ins occurring after hours. The alarm systems were considered cost-prohibitive and were not purchased.

“* * * This court does not contemplate that the essential acts of governmental decision-making to be subject of judicial second-guessing or harassment by the actual or potential threat of litigation. The appropriate dividing line falls between those functions which rest on the exercise of judgment and discretion and represent planning and policymaking and those functions which involve the implementation and execution of such governmental policy or planning.

tl * * *

“Accordingly, this court holds that no tort action will lie against a municipal corporation for those acts or omissions involving the exercise of a legislative or judicial function, or the exercise of an executive or planning function involving the making of a basic policy decision which is characterized by the exercise of a high degree of official judgment or discretion. * * * However, once the policy has been made to engage in a certain activity or function, municipalities will be held liable, the same as private corporations and persons, for the negligence of their employees in the performance of the activities. * * *” (Citations omitted.) Enghauser Mfg. Co. v. Eriksson Engineering Ltd. (1983), 6 Ohio St. 3d 31, 35-36, 6 OBR 53, 56-57, 451 N.E. 2d 228, 232.

Plaintiff’s argument that Eng-hauser, supra, has been overruled by subsequent court decisions and statutory enactments is unpersuasive. See Johnson v. New London (1988), 36 Ohio St. 3d 60, 521 N.E. 2d 793. Clearly, in the case sub judice,

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Related

Miller v. Reed
499 N.E.2d 919 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1986)
Williams v. First United Church of Christ
309 N.E.2d 924 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1974)
Harless v. Willis Day Warehousing Co.
375 N.E.2d 46 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1978)
Enghauser Manufacturing Co. v. Eriksson Engineering Ltd.
451 N.E.2d 228 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1983)
Jones v. VIP Development Co.
472 N.E.2d 1046 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1984)
Johnson v. Village of New London
521 N.E.2d 793 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1988)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
547 N.E.2d 1226, 48 Ohio App. 3d 44, 1988 Ohio App. LEXIS 1493, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fisher-v-city-of-cleveland-ohioctapp-1988.