Inge v. Walker

15 S.W.3d 348, 70 Ark. App. 114, 2000 Ark. App. LEXIS 304
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arkansas
DecidedApril 26, 2000
DocketCA 99-1128
StatusPublished
Cited by30 cases

This text of 15 S.W.3d 348 (Inge v. Walker) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Inge v. Walker, 15 S.W.3d 348, 70 Ark. App. 114, 2000 Ark. App. LEXIS 304 (Ark. Ct. App. 2000).

Opinion

SAM BIRD, Judge.

Margaret Inge appeals the granting of summary judgment in favor of Scott Walker. She argues that there were questions of fact to be determined and, therefore, Walker should not have been awarded summary judgment. We agree with Inge that there were issues of fact to be determined and that the grant of summary judgment was error. Consequently, we reverse and remand.

The case arises out of an automobile accident that took place on June 15, 1998. Ms. Inge was stopped in the street waiting to make a left turn. Walker was behind her and bumped her rear bumper. They moved their cars and, while waiting for the officer, they talked. According to Walker, they assured each other that there were no personal injuries, only property damage to the bumper of Inge’s vehicle, and Inge agreed to accept Walker’s check for $200 for the damage. A police officer is said to have asked Ms. Inge if the $200 was satisfactory, and she is said to have replied that it was.

On February 22, 1999, Ms. Inge filed a complaint in the Sebastian County Circuit Court alleging that Walker was negligent and that, as a result of his negligence, she sustained serious physical injuries and permanent impairment, resulting in pain and suffering, medical treatment and expenses, and lost income. Ms. Inge asked for a jury trial. Accompanying her complaint were two requests for production, and thirty-two interrogatories. In an amended answer, Walker alleged that the $200 check was an accord and satisfaction, in full and final satisfaction of all claims arising from the accident.

On May 24, 1999, Walker filed a motion for summary judgment, relying on the pleadings, his response to the interrogatories, his affidavit, and the canceled $200 check. In his brief to the trial court in support of his motion for summary judgment, Walker claimed that Ms. Inge actually asked for the check to cover her damages. Walker contended in his motion that by cashing the check, Ms. Inge released him from liability for any further damages. Ms. Inge did not respond to the motion for summary judgment, no hearing was held, and on June 18, 1999, the appellee’s motion for summary judgment was granted. The order stated:

Rule 12(c) of the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure provides, in part: “If a party opposes a motion ... he shall file his response ... within ten (10) days after service...”
As heretofore stated Plaintiff has failed to comply with said rule.
The law is well settled that when a party makes a prima facie showing of entitlement to a summary judgment, the opposing party must meet proof with proof by showing there is a genuine issue as to a material fact. Plaintiff has failed to do so.
Accordingly, Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment is granted.

On June 25, 1999, Ms. Inge filed a motion for reconsideration and to vacate the summary judgment, alleging that no hearing was set or held on the motion for summary judgment, and that Walker’s affidavit and answers to interrogatories filed as exhibits to his motion specifically raise the issue of the parties’ intent in giving and receiving the check. In her brief, she pointed out that in exhibit one to the motion for summary judgment Walker stated: “Plaintiff asked Defendant to write her a check for $200 for her bumper.” Ms. Inge contends this raised an issue of fact as to whether the $200 check was in satisfaction of all damages arising from the accident, or just payment for the damage to her bumper. She also raised in her motion for reconsideration the issue of whether summary judgment was proper simply because she failed to respond to the motion within ten days, citing Ark. R. Civ. P. 12(i).

Walker responded to Inge’s motion to vacate and pointed out in his brief that Ark. R. Civ. P. 56 applies to summary judgments and allows a time for affidavits to be filed; Ark. R. Civ. P. 12(i) controls the time a party has to respond to a motion. He argued that granting the motion for summary judgment was appropriate since Inge failed to respond to his motion and “set forth specific facts showing there is a genuine issue for trial.” On July 13, 1999, Inge’s motion to vacate was denied.

Inge makes several arguments on appeal. First, she contends that summary judgment was not appropriate where genuine issues of material fact existed or where reasonable minds could differ as to the interpretation of the facts as shown by the pleadings, even if no formal response to the motion had been filed. We agree.

Arkansas Rule of Civil Procedure 56(e) provides:

When a motion is made and supported as provided in this rule, an adverse party may not rest upon the mere allegations or denials of his pleadings, but his response, by affidavits or as otherwise provided in this rule, must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial. If he does not so respond, summary judgment, if appropriate, shall be entered against him. (Emphasis added.)

The Arkansas Supreme Court recently reviewed the law in regard to summary judgment in New Maumelle Harbor v. Rochelle, 338 Ark. 43, 991 S.W.2d 552 (1999):

In these cases, we need only decide if the granting of summary judgment was appropriate based on whether the evidentiary items presented by the moving party in support of the motion left a material question of fact unanswered. The burden of sustaining a motion for summary judgment is always the responsibility of the moving party. All proof submitted must be viewed in a hght most favorable to the party resisting the motion, and any doubts and inferences must be resolved against the moving party. Our rule states, and we have acknowledged, that summary judgment is proper when a claiming party fails to show that there is a genuine issue as to a material fact and when the moving party is entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law.

338 Ark. at 45-46, 991 S.W.2d at 553 (quoting Sublett v. Hipps, 330 Ark. 58, 62, 952 S.W.2d 140, 142 (1997), quoting Milam v. Bank of Cabot, 327 Ark. 256, 261-62, 937 S.W.2d 653, 656 (1997))(empha-sis added). Once a moving party establishes prima facie entitlement to summary judgment by affidavits, depositions, or other supporting documents, the opposing party must meet proof with proof and demonstrate the existence of a genuine issue of material fact. New Maumelle Harbor, supra. Prima facie evidence is “[e]vidence good and sufficient on its face. Such evidence as, in the judgment of the law, is sufficient to establish a given fact, or the group or chain of facts constituting the party’s claim or defense, and which if not rebutted or contradicted, will remain sufficient.” Black’s Law Dictionary, 1190 (6th. ed 1990) (emphasis added).

In Martin v. Arthur, 339 Ark. 149, 3 S.W.3d 684 (1999)(quoting Adams v. Arthur, 333 Ark. 53, 969 S.W.2d 598 (1998)), the supreme court explained further:

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Bluebook (online)
15 S.W.3d 348, 70 Ark. App. 114, 2000 Ark. App. LEXIS 304, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/inge-v-walker-arkctapp-2000.