Smith v. Werner Enterprises, Inc.

65 F. Supp. 3d 1305, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 163636, 2014 WL 6977889
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Alabama
DecidedNovember 21, 2014
DocketCivil Action No. 14-0107-WS-B
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 65 F. Supp. 3d 1305 (Smith v. Werner Enterprises, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Smith v. Werner Enterprises, Inc., 65 F. Supp. 3d 1305, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 163636, 2014 WL 6977889 (S.D. Ala. 2014).

Opinion

ORDER

WILLIAM H. STEELE, District Judge.

This matter is before the Court on the defendant’s motion for summary judgment as to plaintiff Cornelius Smith. (Doc. 9). The parties have filed briefs and evidentia-ry materials in support of their respective positions, (Docs. 10,19, 20), and the motion is ripe for resolution. After careful consideration, the Court concludes that the motion is due to be denied.

BACKGROUND

Smith and other plaintiffs filed this FLSA action on March 10, 2014, alleging that the defendant has not paid them overtime compensation to which they are entitled. (Doc. 1). On May 7, 2014, the defendant filed the instant motion, asserting that Smith is judicially estopped from seeking monetary compensation for any overtime violation because he had not dis[1308]*1308closed this claim in his Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings.

Smith filed his petition in December 2011. The plan was confirmed in May 2012, and it remains in effect until approximately May 2017. (Docs. 10-2, 1CM). On May 20, 2014, the plaintiff amended his bankruptcy filings to reflect his FLSA claim. (Doc. 19-2).

DISCUSSION

Summary judgment should be granted only if “there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a). The. party seeking summary judgment bears “the initial burden to show the district court, by reference to materials on file, that there are no genuine issues of material fact that should be decided at trial.” Clark v. Coats & Clark, Inc., 929 F.2d 604, 608 (11th Cir.1991). The moving party may meet its burden in either of two ways: (1) by “negating an element of the non-moving party’s claim”; or (2) by “pointing] to materials on file that demonstrate that the party bearing the burden of proof at trial will not be able to meet that burden.” Id. “Even after Celotex it is never enough simply to state that the non-moving party cannot meet its burden at trial.” Id.; accord Mullins v. Crowell, 228 F.3d 1305, 1313 (11th Cir.2000); Sammons v. Taylor, 967 F.2d 1533, 1538 (11th Cir.1992).

“When the moving party has the burden of proof at trial, that party must show affirmatively the absence of a genuine issue of material fact: it must support its motion with credible evidence ... that would entitle it to a directed verdict if not controverted at trial, [citation omitted] In other words,'the moving party must show that, on all the essential elements of its case on which it bears the burden of proof, no reasonable jury could find for the non-moving party.” United States v. Four Parcels of Real Property, 941 F.2d 1428, 1438 (11th Cir.1991) (en banc) (emphasis in original); accord Fitzpatrick v. City of Atlanta, 2 F.3d 1112, 1115 (11th Cir.1993).1

“If the party moving 'for summary judgment fails to discharge the initial burden, then the motion must be denied and the court need not consider what, if any, showing the non-movánt has made.” Fitzpatrick, 2 F.3d at 1116; accord Mullins, 228 F.3d at 1313; Clark, 929 F.2d at 608.

“If, however, the movant carries the initial summary judgment burden ..., the responsibility then devolves upon the non-movant to show the existence of a genuine issue of material fact.” Fitzpatrick, 2 F.3d at 1116. “If the nonmoving party fails to make ‘a sufficient showing on an essential element of her case with respect to which she has the burden of proof,’ the moving party is entitled to summary judgment.” Clark, 929 F.2d at 608 (quoting Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986)) (footnote omitted); see also Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(e)(2) (“If a party fails to properly support an assertion of fact or fails to properly address another party’s assertion of fact as required by Rule 56(c), the court may ... consider the fact undisputed for purposes of the motion.... ”).

In deciding a motion for summary judgment, “[t]he evidence, and all reasonable inferences, must be viewed in the light most favorable to the nonmovant....” [1309]*1309McCormick v. City of Fort Lauderdale, 333 F.3d 1234, 1243 (11th Cir.2003).

“Judicial estoppel is an equitable doctrine invoked at a court’s discretion.” Burnes v. Perneo Aeroplex, Inc., 291 F.3d 1282, 1285 (11th Cir.2002). “[Jjudicial es-toppel is applied to the calculated assertion of divergent sworn positions. The doctrine is designed to prevent parties from making a mockery of justice by inconsistent pleadings.” Id. (internal quotes omitted).

There are “two primary factors for establishing the bar of judicial estoppel.” Robinson v. Tyson Foods, Inc., 595 F.3d 1269, 1273 (11th Cir.2010). “First, it must be shown that the allegedly inconsistent positions were made under oath in a prior proceeding. Second, such inconsistencies must be shown to have been calculated to make a mockery of the judicial system.” Id. (internal quotes omitted). “[Tjhese factors are not exhaustive; rather, courts must always give due consideration to the circumstances of the particular case.” Id.

It is uncontroverted that the plaintiff was unaware of any possible FLSA claim when he filed his Chapter 13 petition in December 2011 or when his plan was confirmed in May 2012. (Doc. 19-1). However, a Chapter 13 debtor has a continuing duty to amend his bankruptcy schedules to disclose new assets arising after his plan is confirmed but before he receives a discharge, and “a pending lawsuit seeking monetary compensation qualifies as an asset.” Robinson, 595 F.3d at 1274-75.

It is uncontroverted that the plaintiff became aware of a potential FLSA claim in mid- to late February 2014. (Doc. 19-1). He filed the instant action on March 10 and amended his bankruptcy schedules to reflect the existence of his FLSA claim on May 20. In Ajaka v. BrooksAmerica Mortgage Corp., 453 F.3d 1339 (11th Cir.2006), the plaintiff learned of a possible TILA claim on January 3, filed a TILA action on April 11, and amended his Chapter 13 bankruptcy schedules to reflect the TILA claim on June 20. Id. at 1342-43. The Eleventh Circuit noted that “[t]here is no question that Ajaka failed to timely amend his Chapter 13 reorganization plan....” Id. at 1344. The Court concludes that the plaintiff likewise failed to amend his bankruptcy schedules in a timely manner.

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Bluebook (online)
65 F. Supp. 3d 1305, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 163636, 2014 WL 6977889, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/smith-v-werner-enterprises-inc-alsd-2014.