Sojic v. Karp

2015 Ohio 3692
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedSeptember 11, 2015
Docket26664
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 2015 Ohio 3692 (Sojic v. Karp) 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
Sojic v. Karp, 2015 Ohio 3692 (Ohio Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

[Cite as Sojic v. Karp, 2015-Ohio-3692.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT MONTGOMERY COUNTY

RUZA SOJIC, et al. : : Plaintiffs-Appellees : C.A. CASE NO. 26664 : v. : T.C. NO. 14CV155 : JOSHUA KARP, et al. : (Civil Appeal from : Common Pleas Court) Defendant-Appellant : :

...........

OPINION

Rendered on the 11th day of September, 2015.

JAMIE R. LEBOVITZ, Atty. Reg. No. 0025000 and JORDAN D. LEBOVITZ, Atty. Reg. No. 0091247 and KATHLEEN J. ST. JOHN, Atty. Reg. No. 0031238, 1370 Ontario Avenue, Suite 100, Cleveland, Ohio 44113 Attorneys for Plaintiffs-Appellees

ROBERT W. HOJNOSKI, Atty. Reg. No. 0070062 and RICK L. WEIL, Atty. Reg. No. 0069431, 525 Vine Street, Suite 1700, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Attorneys for Defendant-Appellant

.............

FROELICH, P.J. -2-

{¶ 1} Joshua Karp appeals from an order of the Montgomery County Court of

Common Pleas, which granted in part the Plaintiffs’ motion to compel Karp to answer

deposition questions. For the following reasons, the trial court’s judgment will be

affirmed.

I. Background and Procedural History

{¶ 2} On December 8, 2013, Goren Sojic, an independent owner-operator truck

driver, stopped at the Love’s Travel Stop located at 2217 South Edwin C. Moses

Boulevard in Dayton, Ohio. Joseph Karp was employed at Love’s Travel Stop as a

security guard. At some point after Sojic entered the store, Karp drew his firearm and

shot Sojic in the arm and chest. The circumstances of the shooting are in dispute. Sojic

was transported to the hospital, where he died from the gunshot wounds. After an

investigation by the Dayton police, a Montgomery County grand jury entered a no true bill,

declining to indict Karp for the shooting.

{¶ 3} Plaintiffs (the administrator of Sojic’s estate and his heirs) brought suit

against Karp, Aron Security (dba Arrow Security), Love’s Travel Stops and County Stores

(dba Love’s Travel Stops), and Chainstair Security, Inc., alleging claims of assault and

battery (Karp), respondeat superior liability for assault and battery (Aron, Love’s and

Chainstar), negligent hiring, training, retention, and supervision (Aron, Love’s, and

Chainstar), negligence (Love’s), negligence (Aron and Chainstar), wrongful death, and

survivorship.

{¶ 4} On January 14, 2015, Plaintiffs took the deposition of Karp. After

answering questions regarding his name, counsel, and whether any medications would -3- prevent his testifying truthfully, Karp asserted his Fifth Amendment privilege against

self-incrimination in response to all other questions posed by Plaintiffs’ counsel.

{¶ 5} On March 2, 2015, Plaintiffs filed a motion to compel Karp to answer the

deposition questions. Plaintiffs stated:

[M]ost of the questions to which Mr. Karp pled the Fifth Amendment

privilege involve general background information about Mr. Karp and his

family, Mr. Karp’s employment history as a security guard, his qualifications

for being a security guard, his job training as a security guard, his work

uniform and apparel, or questions related to medical authorizations and

interrogatories Mr. Karp answered. None of these questions relate directly

or indirectly to the December 8, 2013 shooting; nor do they require an

incriminating response from Mr. Karp. These questions are relevant not

only to plaintiffs’ claims against Mr. Karp, but also to plaintiffs’ claims for

negligent hiring and retention against his employers. As such, Mr. Karp

should be compelled to re-appear and answer these questions.

{¶ 6} Karp responded that Plaintiffs had received extensive information about the

shooting, including all of the evidence gathered by the Dayton Police Department in

connection with its investigation. In addition, Karp stated that he and other defendants

had responded to Plaintiffs’ discovery requests, and Plaintiffs had conducted several

depositions of other individuals. Karp argued that Plaintiffs’ motion to compel should be

denied, because Plaintiffs failed to comply with Civ.R. 37 and local rules in filing the

motion to compel, most of the questions did not have “anything to do with” liability, and the

sought-after information was available from other sources. -4- {¶ 7} Plaintiffs filed a reply memorandum, which included a “certificate of

impasse,” pursuant to Montgomery Co. C.P.R. 2.09(C)(1).

{¶ 8} On March 26, 2015, the trial court sustained in part and overruled in part

Plaintiffs’ motion to compel. Addressing Karp’s procedural argument, the trial court

found that Plaintiffs complied with Civ.R. 37(E) and Montgomery Co. C.P.R. 2.09(C)(1)(a)

and (b) by providing the trial court with a certificate of impasse attached to their reply

memorandum. Turning to the merits of the motion, the trial court found that Karp

properly asserted his Fifth Amendment privilege and would not be compelled to answer

the following questions:

1. Are you presently armed as we sit here in this room?

2. Prior to the deposition today, did you have any discussions about the

December 8, 2013 incident with any family members of yours?

3. Prior to the deposition today, did you have any conversations with any

friends or colleagues about the shooting on December 8, 2013?

4. Prior to your deposition today, did you have a discussion with Darryl

Johnson?

5. Were you prescribed or under the influence of any prescription

medication prescribed by a physician on December 8, 2013. * * * (Mr. Karp

is compelled to answer whether he was prescribed or under the influence of

any prescription medication prescribed by a physician prior to December 8,

2013.)

{¶ 9} As to the remaining deposition questions, the trial court found that Karp did

not establish a “real danger” of incrimination if he were compelled to answer. The court -5- noted that the remaining questions related to “either background information or to

Plaintiffs’ claims against Mr. Karp of assault and battery and willful, wanton, and reckless

conduct and claims against the remaining defendants for negligent hiring, negligent

retention, and negligent training.” The court ordered Karp to answer all remaining

questions asked at the January 14 deposition that had not been previously addressed by

the court.

{¶ 10} Karp appeals from the trial court’s March 26, 2015 order, raising two

assignments of error.

II. Procedural Requirements for Motion to Compel

{¶ 11} Karp’s first assignment of error states:

THE TRIAL COURT IMPROPERLY CONSIDERED PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION

TO COMPEL, WHICH WAS FILED IN VIOLATION OF CIVIL RULE 37 AND

LOCAL RULE 2.09.

{¶ 12} Civ.R. 37 provides remedies when an opposing party fails to cooperate

with discovery and authorizes the filing of a motion to compel discovery. Civ.R. 37(E)

requires the aggrieved party to make a reasonable effort to resolve the matter through

discussion with the attorney, unrepresented party, or person from whom discovery is

sought prior to filing a motion to compel. A motion to compel “shall be accompanied by a

statement reciting the efforts made to resolve the matter.” Civ.R. 37(E).

{¶ 13} Local Rule 2.09(B) of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas,

General Division, requires parties to discuss any impasse concerning a discovery request

and states that no “Formal Discovery Request,” such as a motion to compel, may be filed

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2015 Ohio 3692, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sojic-v-karp-ohioctapp-2015.