Green Tree — Al LLC v. Dominion Resources, L.L.C.

104 So. 3d 177, 2011 WL 3963010, 2011 Ala. Civ. App. LEXIS 242
CourtCourt of Civil Appeals of Alabama
DecidedSeptember 9, 2011
Docket2100187
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 104 So. 3d 177 (Green Tree — Al LLC v. Dominion Resources, L.L.C.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Green Tree — Al LLC v. Dominion Resources, L.L.C., 104 So. 3d 177, 2011 WL 3963010, 2011 Ala. Civ. App. LEXIS 242 (Ala. Ct. App. 2011).

Opinion

THOMAS, Judge.

In 1999, Leah Mitchell purchased a manufactured home. She financed that purchase and executed a Manufactured Home Retail Installment Contract and Security Agreement (“the installment contract”). Green Tree-AL LLC (“Green Tree”) was later assigned the installment contract, under which it was granted the right to repossess the manufactured home [178]*178upon any default on the installment contract.

Mitchell placed the manufactured home on real property that she owned in Oden-ville. Mitchell failed to pay ad valorem taxes on that real property. As a result, on May 10, 2005, the real property was sold pursuant to Ala.Code 1975, § 40-10-1 et seq. Dominion Resources, L.L.C. (“Dominion”), was the tax-sale purchaser. Dominion received a tax deed to the property on May 13, 2008. The tax deed describes the real property but makes no mention of the manufactured home.

After it received its tax deed, Dominion filed a successful ejectment action against Mitchell. Dominion received a judgment in its favor awarding it the right to possession of the real property purchased at the tax sale. After Mitchell was ejected from the property, Dominion performed maintenance and clean up on the real property and the manufactured home, including removing trash and debris, pressure washing the manufactured home, performing yard maintenance, and covering the roof of the manufactured home to prevent further damage from exposure to the elements. Dominion claimed that it had expended in excess of $10,000 on the maintenance it had performed on the real property and the manufactured home. In all, including attorney fees and insurance payments on the manufactured home, Dominion claimed $36,728.99 in expenses related to the real property and the manufactured home on the property.

Mitchell also defaulted on the installment contract. As a result, Green Tree desired to repossess the manufactured home. Dominion opposed Green Tree’s right to possession of the manufactured home, arguing that Dominion had purchased both the real property and the manufactured home at the tax sale and that, in order for Green Tree to gain possession of the manufactured home, Green Tree was required to redeem the manufactured home pursuant to Ala.Code 1975, § 40-10-120 et seq., by paying Dominion $36,723.99. In May 2009, Green Tree filed a detinue action against Dominion, seeking possession of the manufactured home.

Dominion answered and filed a counterclaim. Subsequently, Dominion filed a motion for a summary judgment as to Green Tree’s claims. In its motion, Dominion argued that the tax deed had conveyed to it both the real property and the manufactured home because, pursuant to Ala.Code 1975, § 40 — 11—l(b)(15) and (c)(2), the manufactured home had been subject to ad valorem taxation and had been taxed “as realty.” Based on this argument, Dominion contended that it owned the manufactured home as part of the real property conveyed to it in the tax deed and that Green Tree, in order to gain possession of the manufactured home, was required to redeem the manufactured home under the procedures outlined in § 40-10-120 et seq. by paying Dominion $36,723.99.

Green Tree opposed Dominion’s motion, arguing that the manufactured home was not transferred along with the real property by the tax deed because, it contended, the manufactured home remained personal property because its certificate of title had not been canceled pursuant to the former version of Ala.Code 1975, § 32-8-30(c) (now codified with changes not pertinent to this appeal at Ala.Code 1975, § 32-20-20(b)).1 Green Tree further contended [179]*179that it was not subject to the redemption procedures set out in § 40-10-120 et seq. because those procedures applied to real property and Green Tree had no interest in the real property sold at the tax sale; Green Tree said that its sole interest was in the manufactured home, which, Green Tree contended, retained its status as personal property despite its tax treatment. Green Tree further denied that it would owe Dominion the entire $36,723.99 Dominion claimed even if Green Tree were required to “redeem” the manufactured home under § 40-10-120 et seq.

The trial court agreed with Dominion that the manufactured home had been taxed as realty under § 40 — 11—l(b)(15) and (c)(2).2 Thus, the trial court concluded that the tax deed had conveyed to Dominion the real property and the manufactured home. As a result, the trial court determined that Green Tree was required to pay Dominion the entire $36,723.99, plus an attorney fee and interest, in order to redeem the manufactured home. Green Tree appeals from that judgment.3

We review a summary judgment de novo; we apply the same standard as was applied in the trial court. A motion for a summary judgment is to be granted when no genuine issue of material fact exists and the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. Rule 56(c)(3), Ala. R. Civ. P. A party moving for a summary judgment must make a prima facie showing “that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that [it] is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Rule 56(c)(3); see Lee v. City of Gadsden, 592 So.2d 1036, 1038 (Ala.1992). If the movant meets this burden, “the burden then shifts to the nonmovant to rebut the movant’s prima facie showing by ‘substantial evidence.’ ” Lee, 592 So.2d at 1038 (footnote omitted). “[Substantial evidence is evidence of such weight and quality that fair-minded persons in the exercise of impartial judgment can reasonably infer the existence of the fact sought to be proved.” West v. Founders Life Assurance Co. of Florida, 547 So.2d 870, 871 (Ala.1989); see Ala.Code 1975, § 12-21-12(d).

This case involves the construction of several statutory provisions and a determination of their import based upon the interplay of those provisions. Thus, we employ the rules of statutory construction.

“ ‘It is this Court’s responsibility to give effect to the legislative intent whenever that intent is manifested. State v. Union Tank Car Co., 281 Ala. 246, 248, 201 So.2d 402, 403 (1967). [180]*180When interpreting a statute, this Court must read the statute as a whole because statutory language depends on context; we will presume that the Legislature knew the meaning of the words it used when it enacted the statute. Ex parte Jackson, 614 So.2d 405, 406-07 (Ala.1993). Additionally, when a term is not defined in a statute, the commonly accepted definition of the term should be applied. Republic Steel Corp. v. Horn, 268 Ala. 279, 281, 105 So.2d 446, 447 (1958). Furthermore, we must give the words in a statute their plain, ordinary, and commonly understood meaning, and where plain language is used we must interpret it to mean exactly what it says. Ex parte Shelby County Health Care Auth., 850 So.2d 332 (Ala.2002).’

“Bean Dredging, L.L.C. v. Alabama Dep’t of Revenue, 855 So.2d 513, 517 (Ala.2003). In addition, ‘ “ ‘ “[t]here is a presumption that every word, sentence, or provision [of a statute] was intended for some useful purpose, has some force and effect, and that some effect is to be given to each, and also that no superfluous words or provisions were used.” ’ ” ’ Surtees v. VFJ Ventures, Inc., 8 So.3d 950, 970 (Ala.Civ.App.2008) (quoting Ex parte Uniroyal Tire Co., 779 So.2d 227, 236 (Ala.2000), quoting in turn other cases).”

IEC Arab Alabama, Inc. v. City of Arab, 7 So.3d 370, 375 (Ala.Civ.App.2008).

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104 So. 3d 177, 2011 WL 3963010, 2011 Ala. Civ. App. LEXIS 242, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/green-tree-al-llc-v-dominion-resources-llc-alacivapp-2011.