Hibbs v. Chandler

684 S.W.2d 310, 1985 Ky. App. LEXIS 509
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedFebruary 1, 1985
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 684 S.W.2d 310 (Hibbs v. Chandler) 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
Hibbs v. Chandler, 684 S.W.2d 310, 1985 Ky. App. LEXIS 509 (Ky. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

McDONALD, Judge:

This matter has come to us by petition for discretionary review which we have granted.

Procedural Background

Movant, Vicki C. Hibbs, originally filed a complaint in the Webster District Court alleging that Joe Ed Chandler was the natural father of her son, Joseph Matthew Hibbs, born December 19, 1979. The putative father, Joe Ed Chandler, met an untimely death on March 30, 1979. He died intestate and no personal representative was ever appointed; therefore, there was never any formal administration of an estate.

The complaint named William C. Chandler, Jr., and Alma Gray Chandler as defendants therein. They are the parents of Joe Ed Chandler and his heirs at law. These putative grandparents were sued pursuant to K.R.S. 396.060, entitled LIABILITY OF HEIRS AND DEVISEES. The movant’s complaint made no demand for money support of the child but did request that paternity be declared. Proof taken by deposition showed that the sole purpose of the suit was to allow Vicki to obtain social security benefits on behalf of her child against Joe Ed Chandler’s account.

Based on the depositions, and other papers filed of record, the district court entered a summary judgment dismissing the complaint. The foremost conclusion of law made by the court stated, “that the plaintiff [Vicki C. Hibbs] has failed to persuade the court by clear and convincing evidence that Joe Ed Chandler is the father of the child, Matthew Hibbs.”

Factual Background

Movant, Vicki C. Hibbs, claims that she became pregnant by Joe Ed Chandler. The probable date of conception was March 17 or March 24, 1979, just several days before his untimely death, when she had intercourse with him in Bernie Hunt’s trailer in Marion, Kentucky. In deposition testimony Vicki stated that the affairs happened on Saturday nights: “More than likely it was after midnight because if there was a party going on it would be after midnight.” In the trailer also were Randy Guess and Randy Alcott.

Blood tests were ordered by the district court from the mother, child and putative paternal grandparents. The results con-[312]*312eluded that Joe Ed Chandler fell within the 64% to 99% probability range. The expert physician recommended, however, that an HLA test be administered as it is considerably more precise in determining paternity. The district court refused to order the additional blood tests.

The proof that persuaded the district court to dismiss the complaint without empaneling a jury was: On one of the nights in question Joe Ed Chandler was arrested at about 11:00 p.m. in Uniontown which was 40 miles from Marion, and he was at work in the coal mines after midnight on the third shift; and on the other night in question Joe Ed was at work in the mines on the third shift after midnight.

The trial court reasoned that Vicki could not have had intercourse with Joe Ed in the Marion trailer when, in fact, he was elsewhere at the time.

An appeal was taken to the circuit court which affirmed the district court’s dismissal. In her petition for discretionary review the movant assigns eight points of error. We will discuss only those issues necessary to resolve this appeal.

I.

MOVANT ASKS IF THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN RULING THAT MOVANT MUST PRESENT “CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE” IN ORDER TO AVOID A SUMMARY JUDGMENT.

In a progressive opinion authored by Justice Aker of our Supreme Court in Fykes v. Clark, Ky., 635 S.W.2d 316 (1982), Kentucky broke with tradition by overturning the then existing law to the effect that an illegitimate child could not inherit from his putative father. Fykes provided that if the putative father died intestate and the paternity of the child was established by clear and convincing evidence, the illegitimate child could inherit from the father as well as the mother.

The question now presented is whether a trial court may apply the “clear and convincing evidence” standard to a summary judgment proceeding. Ordinarily, the “clear and convincing evidence” standard is reserved for trial-type settings. It is the evidential standard to be applied by the trier of the case to the facts presented. The trier must be persuaded by more than a simple preponderance. On the other hand, in a summary judgment proceeding under CR 56.03, the movant’s proof must persuade the court “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.”

The standard under CR 56.03 is more exact. Case law under CR 56.03 tells us that if any material fact is in dispute a summary judgment should not be granted. The court should ascertain if the nonmov-ing party could strengthen his case at the trial giving him all benefit of any real doubt. If it appears impossible for the nonmoving party to produce evidence at the trial warranting judgment in his favor, only then should the motion be granted. See Robert Simmons Constr. Co. v. Powers Regulator Co., Ky., 390 S.W.2d 901 (1965); Roberson v. Lampton, Ky., 516 S.W.2d 838 (1974); and Harker v. Federal Land Bank of Louisville, Ky., 679 S.W.2d 226 (1984).

Under the circumstances here, the proper testing of the evidence was not applied to the summary judgment. Vicki’s proof, standing alone, was sufficient to support a judgment. That’s the test and, if applied, it would overcome any motion for summary judgment regardless of how strong the evidence to the contrary might seem. This result must be so because a jury may not believe any of the defense witnesses or proof. Therefore, “clear and convincing” evidence is a standard of persuasion to be applied by the trier of the fact in a trial setting. If applied to a summary judgment proceeding, “clear and convincing” evidence must demonstrate an impossibility under CR 56.03.

Did the making of findings of fact and conclusions of law in support of the summary judgment add significance to the [313]*313evidence that Joe Ed Chandler was not Joseph Matthew Hibbs’ father? No. That the district court entered the tendered findings of fact and conclusions of law submitted by the winning party did not add any dignity or legal significance to the summary judgment. This is because the “clearly erroneous” rule under CR 52 applies solely to “actions tried upon the facts” and not to summary proceedings.

Whenever a trial court makes findings to explain the action it has taken or the court’s thought process, it is most helpful from the standpoint of appellate review. However, here, the district court judge merely signed what was put in front of him which had been prepared, at his direction, by the winning party. We note that counsel for the respondents properly advised the district court about the propriety of delegating its fact finding function, but to no avail. This shows the dilemma the lawyer is placed in. Doing what the trial court directs, which is contrary to the Civil Rules and case law, will, however, be a short-lived victory. Pence Mortg. Co. v. Stokes, Ky.App., 559 S.W.2d 500

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
684 S.W.2d 310, 1985 Ky. App. LEXIS 509, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hibbs-v-chandler-kyctapp-1985.