Saia v. Asher

825 So. 2d 1257, 2002 WL 1481057
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJuly 10, 2002
Docket2001 CA 1038
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 825 So. 2d 1257 (Saia v. Asher) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Saia v. Asher, 825 So. 2d 1257, 2002 WL 1481057 (La. Ct. App. 2002).

Opinion

825 So.2d 1257 (2002)

Louis P. SAIA, III, et al.
v.
Harold A. ASHER, et al.

No. 2001 CA 1038.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.

July 10, 2002.

*1258 Alexander Crighton, Houma, Counsel for Plaintiffs/Appellants Louis P. Saia, III and Ciana Corp.

Steven W. Usdin and, H. Minor Pipes, III, New Orleans, Counsel for Defendants/Appellees Harold A. Asher, Katz & Asher, Ltd.

Before: FITZSIMMONS, DOWNING, and LANIER[1], JJ.

LANIER, J.

This action is a suit for damages arising under La. R.S. 37:87[2] alleging a breach of a confidential communication between plaintiffs and defendants. This appeal is from a judgment sustaining the defendants' peremptory exception raising the objection of prescription and granting their motion for summary judgment.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Plaintiffs, Louis Saia, III and Ciana Corporation, employed defendants, Harold Asher, a CPA, and Katz & Asher, Ltd., to serve as experts in an arbitration proceeding with Northrop Grumman Corporation over the manufacturing and distribution of a product known as a pallet reefer. Asher's role was to analyze and determine the amount of damages incurred in connection with plaintiffs' claim against Northrop Grumman Corporation. Alfred Feyerabend, an employee of plaintiffs, assisted Asher in obtaining the necessary documents and information required for the analysis of damages. During the arbitration proceeding, Saia told Feyerabend that if Saia received a favorable result, Saia would pay Feyerabend a one-million-dollar bonus. Plaintiffs received a favorable result from the arbitration proceeding on December 2, 1997. Thereafter, a dispute arose about the amount of fees plaintiffs owed defendants. Defendants filed suit against Saia over the expert fees in connection with the arbitration proceedings. A settlement between the plaintiffs and defendants was reached on or about January 21, 1998. Allegedly, Asher was bitter because he received a fee less than he expected. Feyerabend left the employ of plaintiffs in the early part of 1998 and contacted Asher in March of 1998 about employment with his accounting firm. Thereafter, Asher and Feyerabend discussed, on more than one occasion, the possibility of Feyerabend bringing suit against Saia over his statement about the one-million-dollar bonus. At the request of Feyerabend, Asher referred him to several attorneys, including Walter Thompson with whom Asher had a previous working relationship. Around March of 1998, Asher and Thompson discussed whether or not Asher recalled hearing Saia make the statement to Feyerabend about the one-million-dollar bonus. On April 28, 1998, Feyerabend filed suit against plaintiffs. On January 19, 1999, under subpoena, Asher was deposed by Thompson; and on November 8, 1999, Asher, again under *1259 subpoena, testified in the Feyerabend litigation.

Plaintiffs then filed this suit[3] on January 12, 2000, alleging that Asher violated the "accountant-client privilege"[4] as established by La. R.S. 37:87, and that Asher placed his own financial interest ahead of the legitimate financial interest of plaintiffs. Defendants filed an answer on January 31, 2000, alleging the plaintiffs failed to state a cause of action. On October 24, 2000, defendants filed a motion for summary judgment and an exception raising the objection of prescription alleging that plaintiffs' claims had prescribed. A hearing was held on the motion for summary judgment and peremptory exception on December 20, 2000. Judgment was rendered on December 22, 2000, in favor of defendants granting their motion for summary judgment and sustaining their exception raising the objection of prescription. The judgment was designated as a final judgment. Plaintiffs took this suspensive appeal.

OBJECTION OF PRESCRIPTION[5] (Appellants' assignment of error no. 1)

Plaintiffs allege Asher violated Rule 501(B) of the Rules of the State Board of Certified Public Accountants of Louisiana, by placing his financial interest ahead of the financial interest of plaintiffs in testifying at his deposition in the Feyerabend case, and by testifying in the Feyerabend trial, and by discussing with Feyerabend the merits and theories of a claim against plaintiffs. Plaintiffs also allege that Asher sought "revenge" against plaintiffs and *1260 that Asher disclosed a confidential communication.

Defendants filed an exception raising the objection of prescription pursuant to La. R.S. 9:5604.

La. R.S. 9:5604 provides the peremptive period applicable to actions concerning professional accounting liability. La. R.S. 9:5604 provides:

A. No action for damages against any accountant duly licensed under the laws of this state, or any firm as defined in R.S. 37:71, whether based upon tort, or breach of contract, or otherwise, arising out of an engagement to provide professional accounting service shall be brought unless filed in a court of competent jurisdiction and proper venue within one year from the date of the alleged act, omission, or neglect, or within one year from the date that the alleged act, omission, or neglect is discovered or should have been discovered; however, even as to actions filed within one year from the date of such discovery, in all events such actions shall be filed at the latest within three years from the date of the alleged act, omission, or neglect.
B. The provisions of this Section are remedial and apply to all causes of action without regard to the date when the alleged act, omission, or neglect occurred.... The one-year and three-year periods of limitation provided in Subsection A of this Section are peremptive periods within the meaning of Civil Code Article 3458 and, in accordance with Civil Code Article 3461, may not be renounced, interrupted, or suspended.
C. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, in all actions brought in this state against any accountant duly licensed under the laws of this state, or any firm as defined in R.S. 37:71, whether based on tort or breach of contract or otherwise arising out of an engagement to provide professional accounting service, the prescriptive and peremptive period shall be governed exclusively by this Section and the scope of the accountant's duty to clients and nonclients shall be determined exclusively by applicable Louisiana rules of law, regardless of the domicile of the parties involved. (Emphasis added.)

The record shows the trial court sustained this exception at the hearing on the motion for summary judgment and objection of prescription. Plaintiffs' claims had not prescribed on the face of their petition, and, accordingly, evidence could be introduced to support or controvert the objection of prescription. La. C.C.P. art. 931. However, at the hearing the trial judge stated, "I have some good news for all of y'all. Y'all don't have to argue because I'm just going to rule. I spent about half a day yesterday rereading this suit record and the memorandums that y'all have furnished to the court." Thereafter, no arguments were heard, no evidence was introduced, and the trial court rendered judgment. Therefore, the trial court erred in considering the materials attached to the memorandums in support and in opposition to the exception raising the objection of prescription. See Our Lady of the Lake Hosp. v. Vanner, 95-0754, p. 5 (La.App. 1 Cir. 12/15/95), 669 So.2d 463, 465; Tranum v. Hebert, 581 So.2d 1023 (La.App. 1 Cir.), writ denied, 584 So.2d 1169 (La.1991).

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Bluebook (online)
825 So. 2d 1257, 2002 WL 1481057, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/saia-v-asher-lactapp-2002.