Honeycutt v. Coleman

120 So. 3d 407, 2012 WL 2304222, 2012 Miss. App. LEXIS 362
CourtCourt of Appeals of Mississippi
DecidedJune 19, 2012
DocketNo. 2010-CA-01470-COA
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 120 So. 3d 407 (Honeycutt v. Coleman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Mississippi primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Honeycutt v. Coleman, 120 So. 3d 407, 2012 WL 2304222, 2012 Miss. App. LEXIS 362 (Mich. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

RUSSELL, J.,

for the Court:

¶ 1. Charlie Honeycutt1 appeals the circuit court’s order granting summary judgment and a final judgment of dismissal to all defendants. Honeycutt argues that the actions of Mississippi State Trooper Tommy Coleman (Trooper Coleman) were not subject to the requirements of the Mississippi Tort Claims Act (MTCA); that the cancellation notice provided by Atlanta Casualty Company (Atlanta Casualty) was ineffective; and that the insurance company through its agent had a duty to obtain a knowing and intelligent waiver of the uninsured-motorist coverage. The circuit court found there was no genuine issue of material fact, reasoning that Trooper Coleman was acting within the course and scope of his employment at the time of the accident and was, therefore, subject to the MTCA; that the Atlanta Casualty cancellation notice was effective; and that the insurance company, through its agent, had no legal duty to explain to the Honeycutts their right to purchase uninsured-motorist coverage. We find no error and affirm.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

¶ 2. On May 15, 1994, a motor-vehicle accident occurred involving Trooper Coleman, Honeycutt, and Matthew Blaxton. At the time of the accident, Blaxton was driving the vehicle, and Honeycutt was the passenger. The accident took place at approximately 12:38 a.m. at the intersection of Highway 45 and Waverly Road in Columbus, Lowndes County, Mississippi, when Blaxton’s vehicle turned left at a flashing yellow light in front of Trooper Coleman. Trooper Coleman struck Blax-ton’s vehicle on the right rear side. Trooper Coleman was driving his patrol car, returning home from a road block detail in Lowndes County when the accident occurred. According to Trooper Coleman, he was still on patrol duty when the accident occurred.

¶ 3. On September 12, 1993, Barbara Honeycutt (Barbara) had applied for motor-vehicle insurance and was issued policy number 03010110 from Atlanta Casualty. The policy was effective from September 15, 1993, to March 15, 1994. Barbara signed a rejection of uninsured-motorist coverage for policy number 03010110. On February 10,1994, Atlanta Casualty issued a renewal certificate with an effective date of March 15, 1994, and an expiration date of September 15, 1994. On March 21, 1994, Atlanta Casualty sent a cancellation notice of the policy for non-payment of the premium effective March 31, 1994. On March 11, 1994, Sam Honeycutt (Sam) made application to American Premier Insurance Company (American Premier) for motor-vehicle insurance. The application contained a signed rejection of uninsured-motorist coverage by Sam. According to Sam and Barbara, the uninsured-motorist coverage rejections they signed were not explained by the insurance agent.

¶ 4. On April 16, 2001, Honeycutt filed a complaint against the defendants. On March 16, 2005, the court entered an order granting summary judgment in favor of Trooper Coleman and dismissed him as a party defendant.2 The court found Troop[410]*410er Coleman was acting within the course and scope of his employment at the time of the accident; therefore, the suit was barred by the one-year statute of limitations set forth in Mississippi Code Annotated Section 11-46-11(3) (Rev. 2002). On August 5, 2010, the court entered an order granting summary judgment in favor of defendants Atlanta Casualty Companies, Atlanta Casualty Company, and American Premier Insurance Company, followed by entry of a final judgment of dismissal with prejudice on August 27, 2010.

¶ 5. On September 8, 2010, Honeycutt appealed the judgment of dismissal entered on March 16, 2005, as to all claims against Trooper Coleman, and the order sustaining the motion for summary judgment and final judgment of dismissal with prejudice as to Atlanta Casualty Companies, Atlanta Casualty Company, and American Premier Insurance Company.

DISCUSSION

¶ 6. This Court employs a de novo standard in reviewing a trial court’s ruling on a motion for summary judgment. Green v. Allendale Planting Co., 954 So.2d 1032, 1037 (¶ 8) (Miss.2007). Such review entails an examination of all the evidentiary matters before us, including admissions in pleadings, answers to interrogatories, depositions, and affidavits. Id. The evidence must be viewed in the light most favorable to the non-movant. Id. The movant bears the burden of showing that no genuine issue of material fact exists. Id. The existence of a genuine issue of material fact will preclude summary judgment. Massey v. Tingle, 867 So.2d 235, 238 (¶ 6) (Miss.2004). The non-moving party may not rest upon mere allegations or denials in the pleadings but must set forth specific facts showing that there are genuine issues for trial. Id. The “[non-moving] party’s claim must be supported by more than a mere scintilla of colorable evidence; it must be evidence upon which a fair-minded jury could return a favorable verdict.” Wilbourn v. Stennett, 687 So.2d 1205, 1214 (Miss.1996).

I. Effectiveness of the Ten-Day Cancellation Notice Requirement Found in Mississippi Code Annotated section 83-11-5 (Rev. 2011)

¶ 7. Honeycutt contends that the circuit court erred when it granted summary judgment in favor of Atlanta Casualty because the proper procedure was not followed by Atlanta Casualty to effectuate the cancellation of policy number 03010110. In particular, Honeycutt argues that a legal issue remains as to whether Atlanta Casualty Company effectively cancelled the insurance policy by mailing notice to the Honeycutt’s residence. Section 83-11-5 of the Mississippi Code Annotated states:

No notice of cancellation of a policy to which [Mississippi Code Annotated] [s]ection 83-11-3 applies shall be effective unless mailed or delivered by the insurer to the named insured and to any named creditor loss payee at least thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of cancellation; provided, however, that where cancellation is for nonpayment of premium at least ten (10) days’ notice of cancellation accompanied by the reason therefor shall be given. Unless the reason accompanies or is included in the notice of cancellation, the notice of cancellation shall state or be accompanied by a statement that upon written request of the named insured, mailed or delivered to the insurer not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the effective date of cancellation, the insurer [411]*411will specify the reason for such cancellation.

(Emphasis added).

¶ 8. On March 21,1994, Atlanta Casualty mailed Honeycutt notice of cancellation of his insurance policy number 03010110, effective March 31,1994, due to nonpayment of the premium. Honeycutt argues that this method of cancellation was ineffective because it did not give the requisite ten-day notice. This argument fails for two reasons. First, the certified mailing satisfied the notice requirement. Section 83-11-9 of the Mississippi Code Annotated (Rev. 2011) provides that proof of mailing of notice of cancellation, or of intention not to renew, or of reasons for cancellation to the named insured by a certificate of mailing, at the address shown in the policy, shall be sufficient proof of notice. Atlanta Casualty mailed the notice of cancellation to Barbara Honeycutt at 238 Fondren Drive, Columbus, MS 39702. No one disputes that this was the Honeycutt residence. Thus, the Atlanta Casualty met the requirements set out in the statute.

¶ 9.

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Related

Honeycutt v. Coleman
120 So. 3d 358 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 2013)
Charlie Honeycutt v. Tommy Coleman
Mississippi Supreme Court, 2010

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
120 So. 3d 407, 2012 WL 2304222, 2012 Miss. App. LEXIS 362, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/honeycutt-v-coleman-missctapp-2012.