Kephart v. Data System International, Inc.

243 F. Supp. 2d 1205, 19 I.E.R. Cas. (BNA) 940, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 871, 2003 WL 152455
CourtDistrict Court, D. Kansas
DecidedJanuary 16, 2003
DocketCIV. A.01-2533-KHV
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 243 F. Supp. 2d 1205 (Kephart v. Data System International, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kephart v. Data System International, Inc., 243 F. Supp. 2d 1205, 19 I.E.R. Cas. (BNA) 940, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 871, 2003 WL 152455 (D. Kan. 2003).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

VRATIL, District Judge.

Scott Kephart, Harold Distler, John Winger, Darrell Robinson, Robert Babich, Mark Hernandez, Scott Strange and James Rubino bring claims against Data Systems International, Incorporated (“DSI”) for violation of the Worker Adjustment And Retraining Notification Act (“WARN Act”), 29 U.S.C. § 2101 et seq., in connection with the termination of their employment. Distler, Winger, Babich, Strange and Rubino also assert claims for breach of contract and quantum meruit, and Distler, Winger and Babich assert additional claims for violation of the Kansas Wage Payment Act, K.S.A. §§ 44-315(a) and 44-344(a).

This matter is before the Court on Defendant Data Systems International, hic.’s Motion For Summary Judgment (Doc. # 39) filed July 12, 2002 and Plaintiffs’ Motion For An Evidentiary Hearing Or In The Alternative For Leave To Respond To Defendant’s Reply To Plaintiffs [sic] Brief In Opposition To Summary Judgment (Doc. # 60) filed September 16, 2002. For reasons stated below, the Court sustains defendant’s motion in part and overrules plaintiffs’ motion.

Summary Judgment Standard

The usual and primary purpose of summary judgment is to isolate and dispose of factually unsupported claims or defenses. See Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323-24, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). Summary judgment is appropriate if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c); accord Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 247, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986); Vitkus v. Beatrice Co., 11 F.3d 1535, 1538-39 (10th Cir.1993). A factual dispute is “material” only if it “might affect the outcome of the suit under the governing law.” Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505. A “genuine” factual dispute requires more than a mere scintilla of evidence. Id. at 252, 106 S.Ct. 2505.

The moving party bears the initial burden of showing the absence of any genuine issue of material fact. See Celotex, 477 U.S. at 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548; Hicks v. City of Watonga, Okla., 942 F.2d 737, 743 (10th Cir.1991). Once the moving party meets its burden, the burden shifts to the non-moving party to demonstrate that genuine issues remain for trial “as to those disposi-tive matters for which it carries the burden of proof.” Applied Genetics Int’l, Inc. v. First Affiliated Secs., Inc., 912 F.2d 1238, 1241 (10th Cir.1990); see also Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 586-87, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986); Bacchus Indus., Inc. v. Arvin Indus., Inc., 939 F.2d 887, 891 (10th Cir.1991). The non-moving party may not rest on its pleadings but must set forth specific facts. Applied Genetics, 912 F.2d at 1241.

*1209 The Court must view the record in a light most favorable to the party opposing summary judgment. See Deepwater Invs., Ltd. v. Jackson Hole Ski Corp., 938 F.2d 1105, 1110 (10th Cir.1991). Summary judgment may be granted if the non-moving party’s evidence is merely colorable or is not significantly probative. See Anderson, 477 U.S. at 250-51, 106 S.Ct. 2505. “In a response to a motion for summary judgment, a party cannot rely on ignorance of facts, on speculation, or on suspicion, and may not escape summary judgment in the mere hope that something will turn up at trial.” Conaway v. Smith, 853 F.2d 789, 794 (10th Cir.1988). Essentially, the inquiry is “whether the evidence presents a sufficient disagreement to require submission to the jury or whether it is so one-sided that one party must prevail as a matter of law.” Anderson, 477 U.S. at 251-52, 106 S.Ct. 2505.

The Court may only consider evidence whose content or substance is admissible. See Conoco Inc. v. J.M. Huber, 148 F.Supp.2d 1157, 1166 (D.Kan.2001); see also Gross v. Burggraf Const. Co., 53 F.3d 1531, 1541 (10th Cir.1995). “Hearsay testimony that would be inadmissible at trial may not be included.” Conoco, 148 F.Supp.2d at 1166. “A witness may not testify to a matter unless evidence is introduced sufficient to support a finding that the witness has personal knowledge of the matter.” Fed.R.Evid. 602. Statements not based on personal knowledge must be disregarded. “To survive summary judgment, ‘nonmovant’s affidavits must be based upon personal knowledge and set forth facts that would be admissible in evidence; conclusory and self-serving affidavits are not sufficient.’ ” Murray v. City of Sapulpa, 45 F.3d 1417, 1422 (10th Cir.1995).

Initially, the Court must address DSI’s motion to strike portions of the affidavit of Mark Hernandez for non-compliance with Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(e). 1 DSI asserts that the affidavit includes information of which Hernandez lacks personal knowledge, and that it is self-serving and conclusory. “Supporting and opposing affidavits shall be made on personal knowledge, shall set forth such facts as would be admissible in evidence, and shall show affirmatively that the affiant is competent to testify to the matters stated therein.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(e). To enforce this rule, the Court will not strike the affidavit but shall simply disregard those portions which are not shown to be based upon personal knowledge. See Chambless v. Masters, Mates & Pilots Pension Plan, 571 F.Supp. 1430, 1459 (S.D.N.Y.1983).

Hernandez was director of DSI’s southwest region, and he supervised William Allen, Daniel Ellis, Darrell Robinson, Steven Robinson and Paul Jonas. He worked for DSI from July of 1994 through April 30, 2001. To the extent that his affidavit relates to his job position and supervisory duties, it is presumably based upon personal knowledge. The affidavit, however, does not explain how or why Hernandez would have personal knowledge on other subjects.

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243 F. Supp. 2d 1205, 19 I.E.R. Cas. (BNA) 940, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 871, 2003 WL 152455, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kephart-v-data-system-international-inc-ksd-2003.