Rosenberg v. Gattarello

359 N.E.2d 467, 49 Ohio App. 2d 87, 3 Ohio Op. 3d 151, 1976 Ohio App. LEXIS 5805
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 29, 1976
Docket34954
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 359 N.E.2d 467 (Rosenberg v. Gattarello) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rosenberg v. Gattarello, 359 N.E.2d 467, 49 Ohio App. 2d 87, 3 Ohio Op. 3d 151, 1976 Ohio App. LEXIS 5805 (Ohio Ct. App. 1976).

Opinion

Krenzler, J.

On Márch 14, 1974, the appellees, Murray F. Eosenberg and Lee Eosenberg, filed a complaint in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court against' two defendants, the appellant, Anthony Gattarello, Jr., and Anthony Gattarello, Sr., dba TNT Disposal Company. In his claim for relief, appellee Murray Eosenberg alleged that on November 25, 1972 he was operating a motor vehicle north on South Green Eoad in Cuyahoga County'; that on that date the defendants had parked a garbage truck on South Green Eoad at the intersection of Mackail Eoad in such a fashion as to block traffic; that the truck was parked by the defendants in the night season, during a blinding snowstorm, without any lights, reflectors, or warning devices around it; and that as the proximate result of the negligence and willful and wanton misconduct of the defendants, he was caused to collide with the garbage truck. After alleging that he suffered serious and permanent injuries, appeÜeé Murray Eosenberg prayed for judgineht in the amount' of $150,000.

In her claim for relief, appellee Lee Eosenberg alleged' that she was the wife of Murray Eosenberg, and that as a'result of the negligence and willful and wanton misconduct' of the defendants, she had been deprived of Murray Eosenberg’s services and consortium. Appellee Lee Eosen *89 berg prayed for judgment in the amount of $50,000.

On May 10,1974, the appellant and Anthony Gattarello, Sr. filed a joint answer to the appellees’ complaint. In their answer the Gattarello s denied any negligence or willful and wanton misconduct on their part, and asserted the affirmative defenses of contributory negligence and assumption of risk.

On August 6, 1974, the appellant’s answers to interrogatories, previously propounded by the appellees, were filed with the Common Pleas Court.

On October 16, 1974, the appellant mailed a copy of a motion for leave to file an untimely counterclaim to the appellees ’ counsel. The motion itself was filed with the clerk of courts for journalization on October 21, 1974. The motion Avas contained in one sentence which stated, “Defendant Anthony Gattarello, Jr. moves the court for leave to file a counterclaim.” The appellant did not submit any additional material in support of this motion nor did he state any reasons for its untimely filing. It is noted that the motion for leave to file the counterclaim Avas given to the administrative judge of the Common Pleas Court, General Division, for action but that nothing was attached thereto indicating that the trial judge who was assigned the case was unavailable to rule on the motion.

Additionally, on October 21, 1974, the appellees filed a motion in opposition to the motion for the filing of an untimely counterclaim or in the alternative a motion to strike. In support of this motion the appellees stated that a joint ansAver had already been filed on behalf of both Anthony Gattarello, Jr., and Anthony Gattarello, Sr.; that interrogatories had already been ansAvered and depositions taken; and that the case had long since been at issue. The appellees asserted that under CíaúI Rule 13(A) the appellant had • Avaived the right to noAv present a compulsory counterclaim.

:. On the same, day,- October -21, 1974, the administrative judge granted the motion of the appellant to file ■ the counterclaim instanter.- The counterclaim Avas then-filed. In. the allowed counterclaim, the appellant alleged that on *90 November 25, 1972, his GMC truck was parked next to the curb on South Green Road with its lights burning; that while his truck was in this position that Murray Rosenberg negligently operated his vehicle into the truck; and that as a result of this negligent operation the truck was damaged and rendered inoperable. The appellant prayed for judgment against Murray Rosenberg for damage to and loss of use of the truck in the amount of $5,070.

On October 25, 1974, the appellant filed a brief in opposition to the motion of the appellees in which he argued that the Common Pleas Court had properly granted him leave to file his counterclaim.

After a number of pre-trial conferences, on May 28, 1975, the parties stipulated that the complaint was settled and dismissed at defendants’ cost. In the journal entry of settlement and dismissal, the Common Pleas Court also made the following ruling:

“Plaintiffs’ motion to strike defendant’s counterclaim granted.”

The entry was received for journalization on May 30, 1975.

On June 17, 1975, the appellant filed a timely notice of appeal from the Common Pleas Court’s ruling striking the counterclaim and assigns two errors for this court’s consideration :

“I. The Trial Court erred in granting plaintiffs’ motion to strike defendant’s counterclaim after defendant had obtained leave to file his counterclaim.
“II. The Trial Court erred in striking defendant’s counterclaim and entering judgment for plaintiffs.”

Because they are related, the appellant’s two assignments of error will be treated together. In them the appellant contends that the Common Pleas Court erred in dismissing his counterclaim. These assigned errors are not well taken.

In this case we are concerned with technical procedures provided for in the Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure, and in the Rules of Superintendence of the Ohio Supreme Court.

This appeal presents two issues. The first issue involves *91 the authority of the administrative judge of a division of a common pleas court to rule on preliminary matters in a case assigned to a trial judge under the assignment system provided for in Sup. R. 4.

The second issue to be resolved is under what conditions may a motion for leave to file an untimely counterclaim under Civil Rule 13(F) be granted.

Sup. R. 3 provides that in each multi-judge division of a court of common pleas there shall be an administrative judge who shall be the presiding officer of his division and who shall have full responsibility for and control over the administration, docket and calendar of the division which he serves. Sup. R. 4 provides for an assignment system whereby upon the filling in, or transfer to, a division of the court of a civil case, or upon arraignment in a criminal case, a case is immediately assigned by lot to a judge thereof, who thus becomes primarily responsible for the determination of every issue and proceeding in the case until its termination. Rule 4 provides that under such an assignment system, all preliminary matters, including requests for continuances, must be submitted for disposition to the judge to whom the case has been assigned, or if he is unavailable to the administrative judge.

Further, Sup. R. 4 provides that each multi-judge general division of each court of common pleas shall adopt the individual assignment system defined abové for the assignment of all cases to judges of the division for disposition, effective January 1, 1972.

A civil action is commenced by the filing of a complaint. Civil Rule 3(A). If the opposing party wants to assert any defenses or claims that he may-have, he must file an answer, motion, or answer and counterclaim, otherwise a default judgment may be entered against him.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
359 N.E.2d 467, 49 Ohio App. 2d 87, 3 Ohio Op. 3d 151, 1976 Ohio App. LEXIS 5805, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rosenberg-v-gattarello-ohioctapp-1976.