Reese v. Mechling

2012 Ohio 2138

Opinion

COURT OF APPEALS

ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO

FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

KIMBERLY J. REESE JUDGES:

Hon. Patricia A. Delaney, P.J.

Plaintiff-Appellee Hon. William B. Hoffman, J.

Hon. John W. Wise, J.

-vs-

Case No. 11-COA-053

MICHAEL A. MECHLING, ET AL.

Defendants-Appellants OPINION

CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Appeal from the Ashland County Court of Common Pleas Case No. 11-CIV-345

JUDGMENT: Reversed and Remanded DATE OF JUDGMENT ENTRY: May 11, 2012

APPEARANCES:

For Plaintiff-Appellee For Defendants-Appellants

STEVEN J. BRIAN JOYCE V. KIMBLER Brian Law Offices 50 S. Main Street, Suite 502 81 Maplecrest Avenue, S.W. Akron, Ohio 44308 North Canton, Ohio 44720

For Wayne Mutual Insurance Company

EDWARD A. DARK

3873 Cleveland Road

Wooster, Ohio 44691

Ashland County, Case No. 11-COA-053 2 Hoffman, J.

{¶1} Defendants-appellants Michael A. Mechling, et al., appeal the November 18, 2011 Judgment Entry entered by the Ashland County Court of Common Pleas denying their Motion to Bifurcate. Plaintiff-appellee is Kimberly J. Reese.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE1

{¶2} Appellee sued Appellants for injuries alleged to have resulted from Appellant Michael Mechling’s operation of his vehicle. Appellee was a passenger in the vehicle. Appellee sought both compensatory and punitive damages.

{¶3} Appellants filed a Motion to Bifurcate the issue of punitive damages pursuant to R.C. 2315.21. On November 18, 2011, the trial court overruled the motion.

{¶4} It is from that entry Appellants prosecute this appeal, assigning as error:

{¶5} “I. THE TRIAL COURT COMMITTED REVERSIBLE ERROR WHEN IT DENIED APPELLANT’S MOTION TO BIFURCATE PLAINTIFF’S PUNITIVE DAMAGES CLAIM PURSUANT TO §R.C.2315.21(B).”

{¶6} The trial court overruled Appellant’s Motion to Bifurcate based upon this Court’s ruling in Plaugher v. Oniala, 2011 Ohio 1207. In Plaugher, this Court found R.C. 2315.21(B) to be unconstitutional.

{¶7} Subsequent to the trial court’s decision and while this appeal was pending, the Ohio Supreme Court decided Havel v. Villa St. Joseph, 2012-Ohio-552. Therein, the Supreme Court specifically found R.C. 2315.21(B) does not violate the Ohio Constitution. Id, syllabus 1.

{¶8} Based upon Havel, Appellants’ assignment of error is sustained.

1 A rendition of the facts is unnecessary for our resolution of this appeal.

{¶9} The judgment of the trial court is reversed and the case remanded to that court for further proceedings. By: Hoffman, J. Delaney, P.J. and Wise, J. concur

s/William B. Hoffman _________________ HON. WILLIAM B. HOFFMAN

s/ Patricia A. Delaney _________________ HON. PATRICIA A. DELANEY

s/ John W. Wise _____________________ HON. JOHN W. WISE

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

KIMBERLY J. REESE :

:

Plaintiff-Appellee :

:

-vs- : JUDGMENT ENTRY :

MICHAEL A. MECHLING, ET AL. :

:

Defendants-Appellants : Case No. 11-COA-053

For the reasons stated in our accompanying Opinion, the judgment of the Ashland County Court is reversed and this matter is remanded to that court for further proceedings in accordance with our Opinion and the law. Costs to Appellee.

s/ William B. Hoffman_________________ HON. WILLIAM B. HOFFMAN

s/ Patricia A. Delaney _________________ HON. PATRICIA A. DELANEY

s/ John W. Wise _____________________ HON. JOHN W. WISE