Matney v. Evans Ex Rel. Evans

598 P.2d 644, 93 N.M. 182
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 8, 1979
Docket3909
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 598 P.2d 644 (Matney v. Evans Ex Rel. Evans) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Matney v. Evans Ex Rel. Evans, 598 P.2d 644, 93 N.M. 182 (N.M. Ct. App. 1979).

Opinion

OPINION

WOOD, Chief Judge.

A car driven by Robert Evans struck a bicycle being ridden by plaintiff. Summary judgments as to the liability of defendants were entered in favor of plaintiff. Defendants then raised issues concerning a guardian for Robert and an asserted indispensable party. We granted defendants’ application for an interlocutory appeal. We consider (1) the propriety of the summary judgments; (2) the guardianship issue; and (3) the United States as an indispensable party.

Propriety of the Summary Judgments

In October, 1977, Judge Rozier Sanchez granted summary judgment “finding Roger Evans liable for the negligent acts of his son, Robert T. Evans, based on the Family Purpose Doctrine * * No issue is raised as to the propriety of this summary judgment.

In November, 1977, Judge Rozier Sanchez granted summary judgment on the basis that “Robert T. Evans was negligent and his negligence caused the injuries received by Plaintiff” and that “Plaintiff was free from any negligence concerning the accident * *

Attorney Eugene E. Klecan criticized Judge Sanchez’s handling of the case; Judge Sanchez recused himself. The case was assigned to Judge Maloney.

Defendants moved for reconsideration of the summary judgments. The motion for reconsideration was heard in December, 1978. Judge Maloney affirmed the summary judgments previously granted by Judge Sanchez.

Defendants claim that Judge Sanchez incorrectly placed the burden of proof upon defendants in connection with the summary judgment motions. Defendants rely on language in a letter from Judge Sanchez which states, in regard to liability and contributory negligence, that nothing in the depositions supported defendants’ theory. Defendants then assert that they had no burden under Fidelity Nat. Bank v. Tommy L. Goff, Inc., 92 N.M. 106, 583 P.2d 470 (1978),

Fidelity National Bank, supra, holds that plaintiff’s burden on summary judgment includes the burden of showing no material issues of fact existed as to defendant’s affirmative defenses. In order to make a prima facie showing for summary judgment in this case, plaintiff was required to make a prima facie showing that defendants were negligent and, to meet the affirmative defense, that plaintiff was not contributorially negligent.

The transcript of the summary judgment hearing shows that plaintiff understood his burden, undertook to, and met his burden. The comments in Judge Sanchez’s letter state no more than that defendants failed to show there was a disputed material issue of fact which would defeat the showing which entitled plaintiff to summary judgment.

Defendants assert there were factual issues as to whether Robert was negligent, whether any negligence of Robert was the proximate cause of the accident, and whether plaintiff was contributorially negligent. We disagree.

Yale is a north-south street. Kathryn comes into Yale from the east. Entry into Yale from Kathryn is controlled by a stop sign. Robert was driving north on Yale in the right-hand lane when his car collided with plaintiff’s bicycle somewhere in the vicinity of the Yal e-Kathryn intersection.

Plaintiff’s showing, from the depositions, was that plaintiff was traveling north on Yale, in the curb lane, on a bicycle equipped with a front light, powered by a generator affixed to the rear fork. The investigating officers could not remember whether there was a generator-powered light to the rear, but the showing is uncontradicted that reflectors were attached to the pedals of the bicycle and another reflector was attached to the back of the bicycle seat.

The investigating officers were of the opinion that the bicycle was struck from the rear. They explained that the rear bicycle wheel, viewed vertically, had a large indentation consistent with the tire of the wheel being struck by the bumper of a car, pushing the rim of the wheel inwards toward the sprocket. One officer illustrated with a diagram. The officer also explained their opinions on the basis of the path of plaintiff’s body — it crossed the hood, hit the right windshield and passed over the top and length of the car.

Robert observed nothing in his lane of travel until immediately before the collision he saw a flash of chrome. The accident happened around 11:00 p. m. During the course of the evening Robert had consumed two to three beers and admitted to being tipsy. There is testimony that the beer would have dulled Robert’s perceptions.

Plaintiff’s showing was that plaintiff was traveling north on Yale on a bicycle, equipped with a light and reflectors, in the proper lane of travel; that Robert never saw the bicycle in time to avoid the collision. Plaintiff made a prima facie showing that he was not contributorially negligent, that Robert was negligent in failing to keep a proper lookout and that this negligence was the proximate cause of the accident.

Defendants’ theory of contributory negligence was that plaintiff entered Yale from Kathryn, that plaintiff either did not stop at the stop sign or else pulled into the path of Robert’s car. The defense argument is based on gouge marks at the accident scene and on an affidavit.

After the accident, there was a gouge mark in the pavement. This gouge mark was located in the northeast quadrant of the intersection. The gouge mark was made by a pedal of the bicycle. The gouge mark was a straight line three feet west of what would have been the east curb of Yale if that curb had extended across Kathryn. The south end of the gouge mark was ten feet south, and the north end of the gauge mark was six feet south of what would have been the north curb of Kathryn if that curb had been extended across Yale. The south end of the gouge mark was approximately seven feet north of a projected centerline of Kathryn.

The point of impact was necessarily south of the gouge mark because it was the impact that knocked the bicycle down with the resulting gouge mark. The officers placed the point of impact between four and thirty feet south of the south end of the gouge mark.

Defendants contend that a point of impact south of the gouge mark does not negate their contention that plaintiff entered Yale in the path of Robert’s car. We agree; the physical location of the gouge mark and the actual point of impact indicate nothing about defendants’ theory. Defendants assert that, consistent with Fidelity National Bank v. Tommy L. Goff, Inc., supra, plaintiff had to negate defendants’ theory. We disagree.

Fidelity National Bank reaffirms that “once the movant has made a prima facie showing that it is entitled to summary judgment, the burden shifts to the party opposing the motion to show that a genuine issue as to a material fact remains.” Plaintiff was not required to demonstrate beyond all possibility that no genuine issue of fact existed. Plaintiff was not required to show there was no possibility that he entered Yale into the path of the car. Plaintiff did show that there was nothing in the physical facts that caused the investigating officers to believe that plaintiff was westbound on Kathryn.

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Bluebook (online)
598 P.2d 644, 93 N.M. 182, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/matney-v-evans-ex-rel-evans-nmctapp-1979.