Springer v. Becker

949 P.2d 641, 284 Mont. 267, 54 State Rptr. 876, 1997 Mont. LEXIS 181
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedAugust 26, 1997
Docket96-602
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 949 P.2d 641 (Springer v. Becker) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Springer v. Becker, 949 P.2d 641, 284 Mont. 267, 54 State Rptr. 876, 1997 Mont. LEXIS 181 (Mo. 1997).

Opinions

JUSTICE NELSON

delivered the Opinion of the Court.

This is an appeal from certain judgments entered by the Eighteenth Judicial District Court, Gallatin County. On June 26,1996, the District Court granted Plaintiff Springer (Springer) summary judgment on issues involving the City of Bozeman’s liability to Springer for damages. On July 11, 1996, the District Court entered judgment on a jury verdict for damages in Springer’s favor and awarded Springer costs. From these judgments, Defendants appeal and Sprin[270]*270ger cross appeals. We affirm in part, reverse in part and remand for further proceedings consistent with this Opinion.

We address the following issues raised on appeal:

1. Did the District Court err in granting Springer’s motion for summary judgment?

2. Did the District Court abuse its discretion in awarding certain costs to Springer?

We also address the following issue raised on cross appeal:

3. Did the District Court abuse its discretion in failing to award Springer attorney fees and costs pursuant to Rule 37(c), M.R.Civ.P, for proving requests for admissions that Defendants denied?

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Plaintiff Mike Springer (Springer) owned a 1968 Volkswagen van in September 1992 which he parked on the 2000 block of South Rouse in Bozeman, Montana. On September 24, 1992, Parking Control Officer Bill McManis (McManis), placed a “Notice of Abandoned Vehicle” on Springer’s van which specified a tow date of September 25, 1992. Springer observed this notice and on September 25,1992, prior to his van being towed, Springer moved his van from the east side of the street to the west side of the street. On September 28,1992, Springer’s van was towed. Subsequently, Police Officer Jason Becker signed a Gallatin County Junk Vehicle Release form and Springer’s van was destroyed. Springer was never notified that his van had been towed.

Springer brought this action against Defendants Jason Becker and the City of Bozeman (collectively, the City) to recover damages for destruction of his 1968 Volkswagen van. The City first brought a motion for summary judgment which the District Court denied. Subsequently, Springer filed a motion for summary judgment which the District Court granted on June 26,1996. The District Court held that Springer’s van was not a junk vehicle as defined by § 75-10-501(4), MCA (1991), nor was the van an abandoned vehicle as defined by § 61-12-401(1), MCA (1991). On June 27, 1996, a jury trial was held on the issue of damages and a verdict of $1,500.00 was returned in Springer’s favor. On July 11, 1996, the District Court entered judgment for Springer in the amount of $1,500.00 in damages plus $1,636.32 in costs. The City appeals both the court’s June 26, 1996 Order granting Springer summary judgment and the court’s July 11, 1996 Judgment in favor of Springer. Springer cross appeals raising the issue of whether the District Court abused its discretion by failing [271]*271to award him attorney fees and costs pursuant to Rule 37(c), M.R.Civ.P. We affirm in part, reverse in part and remand for further proceedings consistent with this Opinion.

DISCUSSION

1. Did the District Court err in granting Springer’s motion for summary judgment?

After a hearing on Springer’s motion for summary judgment, the District Court determined that no genuine issues of material fact were in dispute and concluded that Springer’s van was not a junk vehicle pursuant to § 75-10-501(4), MCA (1991), and was not an abandoned vehicle pursuant to § 61-12-401(1), MCA (1991). The District Court, therefore, held that the City did not take reasonable efforts to notify Springer after his vehicle had been towed, pursuant to § 61-12-402, MCA (1991). Accordingly, the District Court granted Springer summary judgment.

Summary judgment is proper when no genuine issues of material fact exist and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Rule 56(c), M.R.Civ.P. We review a district court’s grant of a motion for summary judgment de novo and apply the same criteria under Rule 56(c), M.R.Civ.P, as did the district court. DeVoe v. State (1997), [281 Mont. 356], 935 P.2d 256, 262. The moving party carries the initial burden of establishing the absence of any genuine issues of material fact and entitlement to judgment as a matter of law. DeVoe, 935 P.2d at 262 (citing Carelli v. Hall (1996), 279 Mont. 202, 207, 926 P.2d 756, 759). If the movingparty satisfies its initial burden, the burden then shifts to the party opposing summary judgment to present evidence raising a genuine issue of material fact. DeVoe, 935 P.2d at 263 (citation omitted). “Material issues of fact are identified by looking to the substantive law governing the proceedings.” DeVoe, 935 P.2d at 263 (citation omitted).

Section 75-10-501(4), MCA (1991), defines a “junk vehicle” as a “discarded, ruined, wrecked, or dismantled motor vehicle, including component parts, which is not lawfully and validly licensed and remains inoperative or incapable of being driven.” Pursuant to § 61-12-401(1), MCA (1991), before a vehicle can be taken into custody, whether it is designated as a “junk vehicle” or not, it must have been abandoned for more than five days on a city street. Furthermore, § 61-12-402, MCA (1991), requires that when a vehicle is taken into custody, notice must be given to the registered owner of the vehicle concerning the location of the vehicle by a registered or certified letter [272]*272mailed, at least 30 days before the vehicle is sold, to the latest address shown in the records of the office of the department of justice, return receipt requested and postage prepaid. However, an exception to this notice requirement provides that a vehicle found by law enforcement officials to be a “junk vehicle” as defined by § 75-10-501, MCA, and certified as having an appraised value of $100 or less, as determined by the Department of Revenue, may be directly submitted for disposal without notice and without a required holding period. Section 61-12-402(6), MCA (1991).

The City, based on the above statutory sections, argues that summary judgment was not proper in this case because genuine issues of material fact existed. Specifically, the City argues that the District Court ignored the uncontroverted affidavits of Bill McManis and Arietta Derleth which stated that Springer’s 1968 Volkswagen van had been parked on a city street for more than five days; had expired license plates; had structural damage and lacked windshield wipers; and had an assessed value of less than $100.00. The City asserts that based on these affidavits, the issues of whether Springer’s van was a “junk vehicle” and whether the City properly disposed of Springer’s van should have been presented to a jury, and, therefore, we should reverse the District Court’s Order granting Springer summary judgment.

Springer responds that we should affirm the District Court’s Order granting his motion for summary judgment because the City has failed to raise any genuine issues of material fact.

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Springer v. Becker
949 P.2d 641 (Montana Supreme Court, 1997)

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Bluebook (online)
949 P.2d 641, 284 Mont. 267, 54 State Rptr. 876, 1997 Mont. LEXIS 181, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/springer-v-becker-mont-1997.