Reed v. Scott

1991 OK 113, 820 P.2d 445, 20 A.L.R. 5th 913, 62 O.B.A.J. 3426, 1991 Okla. LEXIS 125, 1991 WL 226532
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedNovember 5, 1991
Docket74750
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 1991 OK 113 (Reed v. Scott) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Reed v. Scott, 1991 OK 113, 820 P.2d 445, 20 A.L.R. 5th 913, 62 O.B.A.J. 3426, 1991 Okla. LEXIS 125, 1991 WL 226532 (Okla. 1991).

Opinion

*447 SUMMERS, Justice:

Scott claimed she was stepped on by Reed’s cow and sued for injuries to her foot. Reed, perhaps underestimating the consequences, ignored the summons. Scott took judgment by default for the amount of the prayer in her petition. When she attempted to collect the judgment by garnishing Reed’s bank account, Reed got a lawyer who timely sought to set aside the judgment under 12 O.S.1981 §§ 1031, 1033. The trial judge declined to vacate and the Court of Appeals affirmed. Now on certio-rari we confront this question: Can a default judgment for personal injuries including future medical expenses, future pain and suffering, and permanent disability be upheld in the absence of some evidence from a skilled medical practitioner? We hold it can not under the facts of this case, and reverse the judgment in part.

Plaintiff Scott’s petition alleged negligence in allowing the cow to escape and in the efforts of defendant Reed’s employees to capture the cow. The trial court awarded her judgment for $600.00 in medical expenses, $300.00 for lost wages, and $45.00 for damages to her yard and fence. We find no fault with that part of the judgment adjudicating liability and fixing recovery in those amounts. The problem is with the rest of it — that part awarding $1,000.00 for future medical expenses and $50,000.00 for pain and suffering, past and future, and for permanent injuries.

Defendant Reed, once he became aware of the seriousness of the suit, had filed a petition to vacate the judgment, claiming the cow was not his, that the petition failed to state a cause of action, and that the court had insufficient evidence upon which to base its ruling. The trial court conducted a hearing on the petition to vacate. Witnesses were heard, but the court found that the failure to defend was the result of Scott’s own neglect. We must review the lower court’s decision not to vacate by the “abuse of discretion” standard, Midkiff v. Luckey, 412 P.2d 175 (Okl.1966). Finding no such abuse, we do not disturb the adjudication of liability. Nor do we disturb the awards for past medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. The award of damages for future pain and suffering, future medical bills, and permanent injuries, however, presents a problem.

A court’s judgment must be based upon the three well known jurisdictional elements: personal jurisdiction, subject matter jurisdiction, and jurisdiction to render the particular judgment. La Bellman v. Gleason & Sanders, Inc., 418 P.2d 949, 953 (Okl.1966). In La Bellman we reviewed the action of the trial court in declining to vacate a default judgment. We found that the judgment roll, on its face, revealed that a portion of the default judgment was beyond the issues framed by the pleadings, and that the trial court lacked the power to render a part of the particular default judgment. Id. 418 P.2d at 953-954.

We have explained that when the face of the judgment roll shows a judgment on the pleadings without evidence as to the amount of unliquidated damages then that judgment is void. Tippins v. Turben, 162 Okl. 136, 19 P.2d 605, 606 (1933), overruled in part on other grounds, American Bank of Commerce v. Chavis, 651 P.2d 1321, 1324 (Okl.1982). We explained that such a judgment was void because the face of the judgment roll lacked one of the three well known elements of jurisdiction, power to render the particular judgment. 19 P.2d at 606-607. This result was required because a statute, later codified at 12 O.S.1981 § 306, 1 stated that allegations as to amount of unliquidated damages are not considered as true by a failure to controvert them. We later explained that 12 O.S.1961 §§ 306 and 1031 were construed as were their Kansas counterparts, and that awarding unliquidated damages in actions (other than on express and implied contracts) without the introduction of evidence to support such award made the *448 award voidable for an irregularity in obtaining a judgment. 2 Joe Hodges Transp. Corp. v. Coffman, 465 P.2d 472 (Okl.1970).

Although § 306 was repealed in 1984 the Oklahoma Pleading Code now provides: “Averments in a pleading to which a responsive pleading is required, other than those to the amount of damage, are admitted when not denied in the responsive pleading. Averments in a pleading to which no responsive pleading is required or permitted shall be taken as denied or avoided.” 12 O.S.Supp.1987 § 2008(D). The Comment to this paragraph states in part: “Subsection D of Section 2008 is identical to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(d) and has the same effect as former Okla.Stat. tit. 12, § 306 (1981).” Okla.Stat.Ann. tit. 12, Committee Comment to § 2008 (West 1992).

Federal case-law supports this Comment. In Dundee Cement Co. v. Howard Pipe & Concrete Prod., 722 F.2d 1319, 1323 (7th Cir.1983) the court explained the federal rule involved:

Although upon default the factual allegations of a complaint relating to liability are taken as true, those allegations relating to the amount of damages suffered are ordinarily not. See Pope v. United States, 323 U.S. 1, 65 S.Ct. 16, 89 L.Ed. 3 (1944); Geddes v. United Financial Group, 559 F.2d 557 (9th Cir.1977). A judgment by default may not be entered without a hearing on damages unless, as in Counts I, II, and IV of this complaint, the amount claimed is liquidated or capable of ascertainment from definite figures contained in the documentary evidence or in detailed affidavits. United Artists Corp. v. Freeman, 605 F.2d 854, 857 (5th Cir.1979); see also Geddes v. United Financial Group, supra, 559 F.2d 557; Eisler v. Stritzler, 535 F.2d 148 (1st Cir.1976); Magette v. Daily Post, 535 F.2d 856 (3d Cir.1976); Flaks v. Koegel, 504 F.2d 702 (2d Cir.1974); 6 Moore’s Federal Practice 11 55.07 (2d ed. 1983).

The federal jurisprudence, like our own, first under § 306 and now under § 2008(D), requires the production of proof as to the amount of unliquidated damages before rendition of a default judgment.

The default judgment before us is not void on the face of the judgment roll, as was the judgment in Tippins v.

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Bluebook (online)
1991 OK 113, 820 P.2d 445, 20 A.L.R. 5th 913, 62 O.B.A.J. 3426, 1991 Okla. LEXIS 125, 1991 WL 226532, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/reed-v-scott-okla-1991.