Gentry v. Noe

545 S.W.3d 323
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedFebruary 9, 2018
DocketNO. 2017–CA–000039–MR
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 545 S.W.3d 323 (Gentry v. Noe) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gentry v. Noe, 545 S.W.3d 323 (Ky. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

MAZE, JUDGE:

This appeal arises from a Lee Circuit Court order granting Appellee's, Kimberly Noe, motion for summary judgment dismissing the Appellants', Cassie Taulbee Gentry, Crystal Mays, and Sheena Reece (hereinafter the Cooper daughters), claim for fraud. After a careful review of the record, we find that there are no genuine issues of material facts and, therefore, affirm.

Background

On or about June 10, 2009, Kimberly Savage Noe, in her role as Deputy Clerk of Lee County, personally delivered an incomplete marriage license to Denton Cooper's home. Noe completed the marriage license with Izetta Johnson in the home's kitchen, which named Izetta Johnson and Cooper as bride and groom. Cooper, at this time, was in a hospital bed in the living room. Johnson signed the license and then took it to Cooper where a mark was placed signifying his signature. This portion was witnessed by Cooper's uncle and brother. A minister was also present. It appears from the record that Noe took the license with her when she left the home. Cooper died that night. The next day, Noe recorded the marriage license.

Therefore, when Cooper's daughter, Cassie Taulbee Gentry, attempted to file as administratrix of Cooper's estate she was prevented from doing so. She could not understand why she was being precluded from becoming the administratrix and was not told by the clerk's office about the marriage license (though she did not ask about the marriage license). Izetta Johnson became the administratrix of the estate.

Eventually a court case revolving around these issues arose and was eventually appealed to this Court. See Taulbee v. Cooper , 2012-CA-000602, 2013 WL 1844706 (Ky. App. May 3, 2013). The marriage was declared invalid and Gentry was appointed administratrix of Cooper's estate.

The Cooper daughters sued Noe individually and in her official capacity as Deputy Clerk of Lee County and Clerk of Lee County (because Noe is now County Clerk rather than Deputy Clerk). Their action was dismissed on summary judgment after the trial court determined that there were no material facts involving the complaint of fraud, and that Noe is cloaked with immunity. This appeal followed. Further facts will be developed as necessary.

Standard of Review

The standard of review governing an appeal of a summary judgment is well-settled. "[T]he proper function of summary judgment is to terminate litigation when, as a matter of law, it appears *326that it would be impossible for the respondent to produce evidence at the trial warranting a judgment in his favor." Steelvest, Inc. v. Scansteel Service Center, Inc. , 807 S.W.2d 476, 480 (Ky. 1991). In essence, for summary judgment to be proper, the movant must show that the adverse party cannot prevail under any circumstances. Paintsville Hosp. Co. v. Rose , 683 S.W.2d 255, 256 (Ky. 1985). Therefore, we will find summary judgment appropriate only "if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, stipulations, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law." CR 1 56.03. Because a summary judgment involves no fact finding, this Court's review is de novo , in the sense that we owe no deference to the conclusions of the trial court. Blevins v. Moran , 12 S.W.3d 698, 700 (Ky. App. 2000).

Analysis

On appeal, the Cooper daughters present two issues. First, they contend that there were sufficient factual disputes raised at the trial court level to survive a motion for summary judgment. Second, they argue that summary judgment was premature due to discovery that was yet to be completed (i.e. , the deposition of Noe).

The Cooper daughters first contend that there were sufficient factual questions remaining to survive a motion for summary judgment. They state that based on the "questionable nature of the invalid, unissued marriage license and the validity of such as evidence of fraud[,]" summary judgment should be reversed. Counsel also discusses the elements of fraud by omission and claims that Noe had a duty to disclose the existence of the marriage license to Gentry.

Fraud by omission and fraud by misrepresentation are different torts and require different elements. Rivermont Inn, Inc. v. Bass Hotels & Resorts, Inc. , 113 S.W.3d 636, 641 (Ky. App. 2003). Fraud by omission requires that the plaintiff prove four elements, the first of which is that the defendant "had a duty to disclose the fact" and did not disclose (i.e. omitted) the fact. Id. Fraud by misrepresentation requires proof of six elements. Flegles, Inc. v. TruServ Corp. , 289 S.W.3d 544, 549 (Ky. 2009). The first element, and most relevant to the current case, requires "that the declarant made a material representation to the plaintiff[.]" Id. Additionally, fraud must be pled with particularity. CR 9.02.

Here, the Cooper daughters pled in their complaint the elements of fraud by misrepresentation. However, in their response to Ms. Noe's motion for summary judgment, counsel wrote, "[t]he plaintiffs have asserted a general claim for fraud against the Defendants. In asserting such claim, the Plaintiffs did not specify the type of fraud committed because they could not be certain of the type(s) until subsequent discovery was completed. One type of fraud that is now supported by the facts is fraud by omission ..." R. at 103.

Ignoring the fact that fraud must be pled with particularity, we agree with the trial court that the Cooper daughters failed to allege facts which would amount to either fraud by misrepresentation or fraud by omission. First, fraud by misrepresentation would have required Noe to make a material representation to the Cooper daughters, which according to the record did not occur in this case. Secondly, in order to prevail on the fraud by omission claim, the Cooper daughters would need to *327establish that Noe had a duty to disclose the marriage license to them.

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Bluebook (online)
545 S.W.3d 323, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gentry-v-noe-kyctapp-2018.