Lord v. Saratoga Capital, Inc.

920 F. Supp. 840, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20918, 1995 WL 828234
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Tennessee
DecidedNovember 14, 1995
Docket94-2129/BraMl
StatusPublished
Cited by50 cases

This text of 920 F. Supp. 840 (Lord v. Saratoga Capital, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lord v. Saratoga Capital, Inc., 920 F. Supp. 840, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20918, 1995 WL 828234 (W.D. Tenn. 1995).

Opinion

ORDER ON DEFENDANTS’ MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

McCALLA, District Judge.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE

On July 29, 1995, both defendants, Saratoga Capital, Inc., (“Saratoga”) and Sun Pac, submitted motions for summary judgment under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56 on all six causes of action alleged by plaintiff, Juanita Lord, in her Third Amended Complaint. On August 30, 1995, plaintiff filed answers to defendants’ motions. On October 31, 1995, the Court held a hearing on the motions. Plaintiff and defendants have briefed the pertinent legal issues.

FACTS

On December 27, 1992, plaintiff signed a lease to reside at Willow Lake Apartments in Memphis, Tennessee, which was/is owned by defendant Sun Pac and managed by defendant Saratoga. In the early morning on April 28,1993, an unknown assailant entered plaintiffs apartment at Willow Lake through a window and committed burglary, rape, sodomy, and battery. As a result of these crimes, plaintiff suffered property loss, physical injuries, and severe emotional distress.

*846 On February 22, 1994, plaintiff brought suit against defendant Saratoga, alleging four causes of action: 1) negligence in breaching the duty “to provide security, protection and a safe place to reside,” 2) breach of the implied warranty of habitability and safety, 3) premises liability in failing to exercise reasonable care in addressing conditions known to pose an unreasonable risk of harm, and 4) product liability in leasing an apartment which was defective and unreasonably dangerous. On April 26, 1994, plaintiff filed her Second Amended Complaint, 1 alleging the same four causes of actions, but adding Sun Pac as a defendant. On May 16, 1994, Saratoga filed its Answer to the Second Amended Complaint. On June 30,1994, Sun Pac filed its Answer. On November 3, 1994, plaintiff filed her Third Amended Complaint, adding two causes of action: 5) intentional misrepresentation in that Willow Lake employees told her that the complex had “security” and showed her a document purportedly authored by ‘Willow Lake Security” when, in fact, Willow Lake had no security personnel, and 6) negligent misrepresentation in that Willow Lake failed to exercise reasonable care in making the claims of “security.” On November 18, 1994, Saratoga and Sun Pac each filed an answer to the Third Amended Complaint.

After several months of discovery by plaintiff and defendants, on July 29, 1995, Saratoga and Sun Pac filed separate motions for summary judgment under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56 as to all six causes of action asserted by plaintiff. Both Saratoga and Sun Pac have submitted briefs and supplemental briefs in support of their motions, and plaintiff has responded to each motion and submitted briefs in support of her responses. Finally, the Court has heard the oral argument of all parties in an October 31, 1995, hearing. 2

ANALYSIS

Saratoga moved for summary judgment on all of plaintiffs asserted causes of action on the grounds that no genuine issue of material fact exists and Saratoga is entitled to judgment as a matter of law in that plaintiff fails to make out prima facie cases. Sun Pac moved for summary judgment as to all of plaintiffs asserted causes of action on the theory that Sun Pac has effectively delegated its rights in the operation of Willow Lake Apartments to Saratoga, and, thus, only Saratoga could be liable to plaintiff. Disposition of both of defendants’ motions requires the Court to consider first the frontal attack on plaintiffs asserted causes of action found in Saratoga’s motion and accompanying briefs. For this purpose, only three of plaintiffs six asserted causes of action merit serious discussion: negligence, intentional misrepresentation, and negligent misrepresentation. 3

In the context of summary judgment, the Court must determine whether “there is sufficient evidence favoring the non-moving party for a jury to return a verdict for that party.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 249, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2510, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). If the moving party establishes that there are no genuine issues of material fact, then summary judgment will be appropriate unless the nonmoving party establishes every element of its ease on which it will have the burden at trial. Celo *847 tex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 321, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2552, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). According to the Sixth Circuit, this requires the nonmoving party to “put up or shut up” for the critical issues of its asserted causes of action. Street v. J.C. Bradford & Co., 886 F.2d 1472, 1478 (6th Cir.1989). In evaluating the evidence offered for the essential elements of the ease, the evidence is viewed in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. United States v. Diebold, Inc., 369 U.S. 654, 655, 82 S.Ct. 993, 994, 8 L.Ed.2d 176 (1962). The essential elements of the nonmoving party’s case are determined by reference to the substantive law of the case.

Under the principles of Erie R.R. Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64, 58 S.Ct. 817, 82 L.Ed. 1188 (1938), the substantive law of this case is governed by the law of Tennessee. This Court has jurisdiction based on diversity of citizenship. The facts giving rise to this action occurred in Tennessee. A discussion of the evidence in this case with reference to the Tennessee law for negligence, intentional misrepresentation, and negligent misrepresentation follows.

I. Negligence

To establish a prima facie case for negligence, a plaintiff must prove: 1) the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty of care, 2) the defendant breached that duty, 3) proximate causation, and 4) damages. McClenahan v. Cooley, 806 S.W.2d 767, 774 (Tenn.1991). Specific rules have developed for the negligence liability of a landowner for injuries resulting from dangerous conditions on the landowner’s property. Tennessee law on the liability of landlords to tenants for the criminal actions of third parties is a specific application of the traditional elements of a negligence action. See Speaker v. Cates Co., 879 S.W.2d 811 (Tenn.1994); Tedder v. Raskin, 728 S.W.2d 343 (Tenn.Ct.App.1987).

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Bluebook (online)
920 F. Supp. 840, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20918, 1995 WL 828234, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lord-v-saratoga-capital-inc-tnwd-1995.