Marks v. Hentges (In Re Hentges)

373 B.R. 709, 2007 Bankr. LEXIS 2773, 2007 WL 2331977
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Oklahoma
DecidedAugust 13, 2007
Docket19-10429
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 373 B.R. 709 (Marks v. Hentges (In Re Hentges)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Marks v. Hentges (In Re Hentges), 373 B.R. 709, 2007 Bankr. LEXIS 2773, 2007 WL 2331977 (Okla. 2007).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART DEFENDANT’S CORRECTED MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

DANA L. RASURE, Chief Judge.

Before the Court is Defendant’s Corrected Motion for Summary Judgment (Adv. Doc. 13) (the “Motion”), filed by Defendant Michael E. Hentges (“Mr. Hentges”) on April 4, 2007; the Corrected Memorandum in Support of Defendant’s Corrected Motion for Summary Judgment (Adv. Doc. 16), filed by Mr. Hentges on April 5, 2007 (the “Defendant’s Brief’); and Plaintiffs Response to Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Adv. Doc. 20) (“Plaintiffs Response”), filed by Plaintiff Virginia D. Marks (“Mrs. Marks”) on April 23, 2007.

I. Jurisdiction

The Court has jurisdiction of this “core” proceeding by virtue of 28 U.S.C. §§ 1334, 157(a), and 157(b)(2)(I); and Local Civil Rule 84.1(a) of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma.

II. Summary Judgment Standard

Summary judgment is appropriate if the moving party demonstrates that there is “no genuine issue as to any material fact” and that it is “entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c), made applicable to this proceeding by Bankruptcy Rule 7056. A fact is “material” if, *715 under the applicable substantive law, it is “essential to the proper disposition of the claim.” Wright ex rel. Trust Co. of Kansas v. Abbott Labs., Inc., 259 F.3d 1226, 1231-32 (10th Cir.2001), citing Adler v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 144 F.3d 664, 670 (10th Cir.1998). An issue of fact is “genuine” if “there is sufficient evidence on each side so that a rational trier of fact could resolve the issue either way.” Adler, 144 F.3d at 670, citing Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986).

Mr. Hentges, as the moving party, bears the initial burden of demonstrating an absence of a genuine issue of material fact and entitlement to judgment as a matter of law. See Spaulding v. United Transp. Union, 279 F.3d 901, 904 (10th Cir.2002), citing Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-23,106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986).

If Mr. Hentges meets his initial burden, the burden shifts to Mrs. Marks, as the nonmoving party, to “set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.” Spaulding, 279 F.3d at 904, citing Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986); Liberty Lobby, 477 U.S. at 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505. Mrs. Marks may not simply rest upon her pleadings to satisfy her burden. Liberty Lobby, 477 U.S. at 256, 106 S.Ct. 2505. Rather, she must “set forth specific facts that would be admissible in evidence in the event of trial from which a rational trier of fact could find for the nonmovant.” Mitchell v. City of Moore, 218 F.3d 1190, 1197 (10th Cir.2000), quoting Adler, 144 F.3d at 671. To accomplish this, the facts “must be identified by reference to an affidavit, a deposition transcript or a specific exhibit incorporated therein.” Adams v. American Guarantee and Liability Ins.

Co., 233 F.3d 1242, 1246 (10th Cir.2000) (quotations and citation omitted).

“[A]t the summary judgment stage the judge’s function is not ... to weigh the evidence and determine the truth of the matter but to determine whether there is a genuine issue for trial.” Liberty Lobby, 477 U.S. at 249, 106 S.Ct. 2505. Reasonable inferences that may be made from the proffered evidentiary record should be drawn in favor of the non-moving party, in this case, Mrs. Marks. See Adams, 233 F.3d at 1246. However, “[i]f the [non-moving party’s] evidence is merely color-able or is not significantly probative, summary judgment may be granted.” Liberty Lobby, 477 U.S. at 249-50, 106 S.Ct. 2505 (citations omitted). “Where the record taken as a whole could not lead a rational trier of fact to find for the non-moving party, there is no ‘genuine issue for trial.’ ” Matsushita, 475 U.S. at 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348. Conversely, even where a movant’s facts are undisputed, if two reasonable factfinders could reach different conclusions or “ultimate inferences” from the undisputed facts, summary judgment is not warranted. See Luckett v. Bethlehem Steel Corp., 618 F.2d 1373, 1382 (10th Cir. 1980).

III. Evidentiary Issues

On May 2, 2007, Mr. Hentges filed a Motion to Strike (Adv. Doc. 23), in which he objects to the admissibility of Exhibit C to Plaintiffs Response, contending that the records contained in the exhibit lack a proper foundation and constitute inadmissible hearsay. Mr. Hentges also contends that the introductory page of the exhibit appears to be a summary of materials not attached to the exhibit, and therefore the summary does not comply with Federal Rule of Evidence 1006. Finally, Mr. Hentges argues that the exhibit does not *716 support the proposition for which it is cited.

In Plaintiffs Response to Motion to Strike (Adv. Doe. 26), Mrs. Marks contends that the documents are bank records that are self-explanatory, and in essence, self-authenticating, and that the summary is an accurate summary of the disposition of funds from accounts into which funds loaned by Mrs. Marks were deposited. 1

Documents submitted in support of or in opposition to a motion for summary judgment “must be authenticated by and attached to an affidavit that meets the requirements of Rule 56(e) [of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure] and the affiant must be a person through whom the exhibits could be admitted into evidence.” Hal Roach Studios, Inc. v. Richard Feiner and Co., 896 F.2d 1542

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Bluebook (online)
373 B.R. 709, 2007 Bankr. LEXIS 2773, 2007 WL 2331977, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/marks-v-hentges-in-re-hentges-oknb-2007.