Skrobacz v. Sweeney

858 A.2d 899, 49 Conn. Supp. 15, 2003 Conn. Super. LEXIS 2739
CourtConnecticut Superior Court
DecidedOctober 1, 2003
DocketFile No. CV-01-0344015S
StatusPublished

This text of 858 A.2d 899 (Skrobacz v. Sweeney) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Connecticut Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Skrobacz v. Sweeney, 858 A.2d 899, 49 Conn. Supp. 15, 2003 Conn. Super. LEXIS 2739 (Colo. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

WHITE, J.

The plaintiff, Mary Jane Skrobacz, has filed a seventeen count complaint against the defendant Peter E. Sweeney, and defendants Judy Novachek, first selectwoman for the town of Bethel (town), the town and Matthew DiRago and David Bruckenthal, town police officers. Counts one through nine allege causes of action against Sweeney,1 a managerial employee of the town, and are not the subject of the motion for summary judgment currently before the court. Count ten seeks indemnification from the town pursuant to General Statutes § 7-465 for Sweeney’s negligence. Counts eleven and twelve assert claims in negligence and negligent infliction of emotional distress, respectively, against Novachek. Count thirteen asserts a claim against the town for indemnification pursuant to § 7-[17]*17465 for Novachek’s negligence. Counts fourteen and fifteen assert claims in negligence and negligent infliction of emotional distress, respectively, against officers DiRago and Bruckenthal. Count sixteen asserts a claim for indemnification from the town pursuant to § 7-465 for the negligence of DiRago and Bruckenthal. Count seventeen asserts violations of 42 U.S.C. §§ 1983 and 1988 against DiRago, Bruckenthal and Sweeney.

Paragraphs one through forty, which are set out at the beginning of the plaintiffs complaint and are incorporated by reference in all seventeen counts, allege the following facts. A relationship between the plaintiff and Sweeney began following Sweeney’s contact with the plaintiff over the Internet on June 2,2001. Shortly thereafter, they met in person and began seeing each other on a regular basis. During the course of their relationship, they discovered they both liked classic, antique cars and car shows. Because Sweeney was having some financial difficulties, the plaintiff agreed to and did lend him $2000.

On June 30, 2001, the plaintiff and Sweeney attended a car show, at which time they agreed to purchase a 1956 Chevrolet B-210 for $15,500. The plaintiff paid for the vehicle and placed title and registration in Sweeney’s name, but with the understanding that he was to garage the vehicle and that she would retain beneficial ownership with unrestricted access to it.

The plaintiff also provided Sweeney with money for car parts in the amount of $600. Toward the latter part of July, the plaintiff believed that he was losing interest in their relationship. She became worried about the condition of the car because she knew that Sweeney was not housing it in a garage and that he might not convey title and possession to her. On August 17, 2001, she drove to his cottage and, using her key to the car, drove the vehicle to her home. Sweeney filed a stolen [18]*18car report and provided the town’s police department with the plaintiffs telephone number. The police contacted the plaintiff and informed her that Sweeney wanted his car returned. Irrespective of her protestations that the car was really hers, the police requested that she come to police headquarters. She brought proof of payment for the car but, nonetheless, agreed to sign a statement that she would return the vehicle to Sweeney and did so.

On July 18, 2002, Novachek, the town, DiRago and Bruckenthal (hereinafter referred to collectively as the defendants) filed an answer and asserted a special defense to counts eleven, fourteen, fifteen and seventeen. The special defense alleges that “[p]ursuant to the doctrine of qualified governmental immunity and of governmental immunity as set forth in [General Statutes] § 52-557n,” the defendants are immune from liability.

On February 13, 2003, the defendants filed a motion for summary judgment on counts ten through seventeen. The defendants assert that they are entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law on count ten “as it is indisputable from the plaintiffs allegations and the facts of the case that at no time was Peter Sweeney acting within the scope of his employment and therefore the plaintiff is not entitled to relief pursuant to § 7-465.” The defendants have moved for summary judgment on counts eleven, twelve, fourteen, fifteen and seventeen on the ground that the claims alleged in those counts are barred by the doctrine of governmental immunity.2 The defendants provide as an alternate ground for summary judgment on count twelve that the plaintiff has not pleaded the essential elements for a claim of negligent infliction of emotional distress. The defendants move [19]*19for summary judgment on counts thirteen and sixteen on the ground that if summary judgment is granted as to the negligence claims alleged against Novachek, DiRago and Bruckenthal, the plaintiffs claims for indemnification pursuant to § 7-465 necessarily must fail. The memorandum of law filed in support of the defendants’ motion for summary judgment is accompanied by six attachments. On March 13,2003, the plaintiff filed a memorandum of law in opposition to the defendants’ motion for summary judgment, accompanied by eleven attachments. The defendants filed a reply with five additional attachments on March 31, 2003. On May 12, 2003, the plaintiff filed an errata sheet to the memorandum of law in opposition to the motion for summary judgment.

I

DISCUSSION

“Practice Book § 17-49 provides that summary judgment shall be rendered forthwith if the pleadings, affidavits and any other proof submitted show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” (Internal quotation marks omitted.) Gould v. Mellick & Sexton, 263 Conn. 140, 146, 819 A.2d 216 (2003). “In deciding a motion for summary judgment, the trial court must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party.” (Internal quotation marks omitted.) Pelletier v. Sordoni/Skanska Construction Co., 264 Conn. 509, 514, 825 A.2d 72 (2003). “[SJummary judgment is properly granted if it raises at least one legally sufficient defense that would bar the plaintiffs claim and involves no triable issue of fact.” (Internal quotation marks omitted.) Avon Meadow Condominium Assn., Inc. v. Bank of Boston Connecticut, 50 Conn. App. 688, 693, 719 A.2d 66, cert. denied, 247 Conn. 946, 723 A.2d 320 (1998).

“In ruling on a motion for summary judgment, the court’s function is not to decide issues of material fact, [20]*20but rather to determine whether any such issues exist.” Nolan v. Borkowski, 206 Conn. 495, 500, 538 A.2d 1031 (1988). “As the party moving for summary judgment, the [movant] is required to support its motion with supporting documentation, including affidavits.” Heyman Associates No. 1 v. Ins. Co. of Pennsylvania, 231 Conn. 756, 796, 653 A.2d 122 (1995). “[T]he party opposing ... a motion [for summary judgment] must provide an evidentiary foundation to demonstrate the existence of a genuine issue of material fact.” (Internal quotation marks omitted.) Schilberg Integrated Metals Corp. v. Continental Casualty Co., 263 Conn. 245, 252, 819 A.2d 773 (2003). “It is not enough . . . for the opposing party merely to assert the existence of . . . a disputed issue.

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Bluebook (online)
858 A.2d 899, 49 Conn. Supp. 15, 2003 Conn. Super. LEXIS 2739, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/skrobacz-v-sweeney-connsuperct-2003.