Frazier v. City of Kent, 2006-P-0082 (10-26-2007)

2007 Ohio 5782
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 26, 2007
DocketNo. 2006-P-0082.
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 2007 Ohio 5782 (Frazier v. City of Kent, 2006-P-0082 (10-26-2007)) 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
Frazier v. City of Kent, 2006-P-0082 (10-26-2007), 2007 Ohio 5782 (Ohio Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

OPINION
{¶ 1} Appellants, Klay E. Frazier and Jennifer Frazier, appeal from the July 27, 2006 judgment entry of the Portage County Court of Common Pleas, granting the motion for summary judgment of appellees, the city of Kent ("City"), Charley Bowman ("Bowman"), and Michael Weddle ("Weddle"). *Page 2

{¶ 2} The following facts and procedural history were taken from appellants' first appeal, Case Nos. 2004-P-0077 and 2004-P-0096:1

{¶ 3} On April 18, 2001, the City forwarded a letter to appellants explaining its interest in purchasing the building in which appellants' barbershop, Frazier's Barber Shop, was located. The City's interest was a result of an Urban Renewal Program designed to refurbish the City's downtown area. Pursuant to the Program, the City intended to raze the building and erect a hotel/convention center in its place.2 Shortly thereafter, the City purchased the building and alerted appellants that they would need to relocate. The City indicated that it would assist in finding a new location and provide financial support in the form of moving and other related expenses. Appellants were not compelled to leave immediately.

{¶ 4} On December 13, 2001, the parties entered into an agreement which obligated the City to pay all appellants' actual, reasonable, and necessary moving and related expenses. The agreement further provided that appellants would not be required to relocate until they received ninety days written notice. In addition to these terms, the agreement included a contractual release discharging the City and its employees from all claims associated with the transaction. Appellants accepted the *Page 3 terms of the agreement and, over the course of their association, the City provided appellants with over $70,000 in relocation expenses. Despite having a new location from which to do business, appellants remained in the original building, paying rent to the City.

{¶ 5} On April 10, 2002, the City contacted appellants' attorney, via a letter, requesting back, unpaid rent for March and April of 2002. On October 1, 2002, after receiving no rent through August, the City filed suit against appellants for back rent. In its May 30, 2003 judgment entry, the Kent Municipal Court awarded the City back rent from March to October 7, 2002, the date appellants vacated the premises.

{¶ 6} After appellants vacated the premises, the City rented the building to appellees Jason Fabick ("Fabick") and Jason Manion ("Manion"), owners of Jason's Barber Shop.3

{¶ 7} On November 17, 2003, appellants filed their complaint, listing the following parties as defendants: the City; Bowman, Community Development Director of the City; Weddle, Economic Development Coordinator of the City; Jason's Barber Shop; Fabick; Manion; and an unknown John Doe defendant. Both Bowman and Weddle were listed as defendants in their capacity as agents for the City and individually. On February 10, 2004, the City filed its answer. On June 10, 2004, appellants amended their complaint which was duly answered by defendants on June 24, 2004.

{¶ 8} On June 30, 2004, the City moved for judgment on the pleadings pursuant to Civ.R. 12(C). On August 12, 2004, the trial court awarded the City judgment on the pleadings but denied judgment with respect to Bowman and Weddle. On August 23, *Page 4 2004, appellants filed their notice of appeal. The City, in turn, filed a motion to dismiss appellants' appeal for lack of a final appealable order. On October 1, 2004, appellants filed a "Motion to Modify and Reconsideration of Judgment Entry" with the trial court. On October 4, 2004, the trial court issued a nunc pro tunc order modifying the August 12, 2004 judgment entry to read: "there is no just reason for delay" of appeal.

{¶ 9} The City, with cross-appellants Bowman and Weddle, filed a notice of appeal from the October 4, 2004 order. The two appeals were consolidated by this court on December 13, 2004.4

{¶ 10} While the appeal was pending, on January 18, 2005, Fabick, Manion, and Jason's Barber Shop filed a motion for summary judgment. Appellants filed a reply and brief in opposition to the motion for summary judgment on January 31, 2005. Fabick, Manion, and Jason's Barber Shop filed a response on February 8, 2005.

{¶ 11} In her December 20, 2005 decision, the magistrate granted the motion for summary judgment of Fabick, Manion, and Jason's Barber Shop. Appellants filed objections, and Fabick, Manion, and Jason's Barber Shop filed a response in opposition to appellants' objections. The trial court adopted the magistrate's decision on January 18, 2006, and granted summary judgment in favor of Fabick, Manion, and Jason's Barber Shop. On February 8, 2006, appellants filed a "Motion to Modify and Reconsideration of Judgment Entry" to include the language "there is no just reason for delay," which was denied by the trial court on March 10, 2006. *Page 5

{¶ 12} On May 31, 2006, the City, Bowman, and Weddle filed a motion for summary judgment. Appellants filed a reply and brief in opposition on June 26, 2006. On July 14, 2006, the City, Bowman, and Weddle filed a reply.

{¶ 13} Pursuant to its July 27, 2006 judgment entry, the trial court granted the motion for summary judgment of the City, Bowman, and Weddle. It is from that judgment that appellants filed a timely notice of appeal and make the following assignment of error:5

{¶ 14} "The trial court erred in granting all named defendants motion for summary judgment."

{¶ 15} In their sole assignment of error, appellants argue that the trial court erred in granting appellees' motions for summary judgment. Appellants present five issues for our review: (1) Did the trial court properly rule on the City's and its individual employees' motion for summary judgment? (2) Did the trial court properly rule on Fabick's, Manion's, and Jason's Barber Shop's motion for summary judgment? (3) Does sovereign immunity apply to the City? (4) Does the contractual release bar a cause of action against the City? and (5) Did the trial court properly review this court's order when the case was remanded after oral argument of a granting of judgment on the pleadings in favor of appellees? *Page 6

{¶ 16} In order for a summary judgment to be granted, the moving party must prove:

{¶ 17} "* * * (1) no genuine issue as to any material fact remains to be litigated, (2) the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law, and (3) it appears from the evidence that reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion, and viewing such evidence most strongly in favor of the nonmoving party, that conclusion is adverse to the party against whom the motion for summary judgment is made." Mootispaw v.Eckstein (1996), 76 Ohio St.3d 383, 385.

{¶ 18} The Ohio Supreme Court stated in Dresher v. Burt (1996),75 Ohio St.3d 280,

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Sericola v. Johnson
2017 Ohio 8200 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2017)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2007 Ohio 5782, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/frazier-v-city-of-kent-2006-p-0082-10-26-2007-ohioctapp-2007.