Tatum v. Oberg

804 F. Supp. 2d 88, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 32064, 2011 WL 1134215
CourtDistrict Court, D. Connecticut
DecidedMarch 25, 2011
DocketCivil Action No. 3:08-CV-1251 (JCH)
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 804 F. Supp. 2d 88 (Tatum v. Oberg) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tatum v. Oberg, 804 F. Supp. 2d 88, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 32064, 2011 WL 1134215 (D. Conn. 2011).

Opinion

RULING RE: MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT (Doc. No. 158)

JANET C. HALL, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

The plaintiff, Gary L. Tatum (“Tatum”), brings this lawsuit against defendants Mary Christina Oberg (“Oberg”) and the law firm, Ford, Oberg, Manion and Houck, P.C. (“FOMH”), alleging breach of contract and legal malpractice. Oberg, an attorney at FOMH, previously represented Tatum in an action to dissolve Tatum’s marriage to Kathleen J. Murphy (“Murphy”). The defendants now move the court for summary judgment in their favor on Tatum’s claims for malpractice and breach of contract. For the reasons contained herein, the court grants in part and denies in part the defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. No 158) as to Tatum’s legal malpractice claim, and denies defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment as to Tatum’s breach of contract claim.

II. PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Tatum originally brought this lawsuit against Oberg and FOMH, claiming fraud, breach of contract, legal malpractice, and violation of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (“CUTPA”). In a Ruling dated September 3, 2009, this court granted the defendants’ Motion to Dismiss Tatum’s claims for fraud and breach of contract (Doc. No. 98) (hereinafter “September 3 Ruling”). The court also granted the Motion to Dismiss as to all but one of Tatum’s claims under CUT-PA. The Motion to Dismiss was denied as to Tatum’s allegation under CUTPA that the defendants billed him for legal services that were never performed. See Am. Compl., Doc. No. 69, at ¶ 22.1 In a hearing before the court on December 8, 2009, Tatum withdrew the remaining CUTPA claim by stipulation. See Doc. No. 126.

In the September 3 Ruling, Tatum was given the right to replead the fraud and breach of contract claims, provided he had a factual and legal basis to do so. On October 2, 2009, Tatum moved to file a Second Amended Complaint repleading the fraud and contract claims. See Mot. to File Amended/Corrected Complaint, Doc. 107. The court denied Tatum’s Motion for [91]*91Leave to Amend his fraud claim, finding that his proposed Second Amended Complaint would not be able to survive a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6). See Ruling (Doc. No. 128) at 4-9. For the same reason, the court denied in part Tatum’s Motion for Leave to Amend his breach of contract claim. Id. at 9-11. However, the court granted leave to amend the Complaint to add two allegations that Oberg and FOMH agreed to obtain “specific results” for Tatum. Id. The court held that these allegations constituted an actionable contract claim. Id.

On January 29, 2010, consistent with this Ruling, Tatum filed his Second Amended Complaint, alleging breach of contract and legal malpractice. Second Am. Compl. (Doc. No. 135). As discussed below, on January 20, 2010, the court appointed Attorney Sarah Eldrich as a pro bono expert for the court to evaluate Tatum’s legal malpractice claim. Ruling Appointing Expert (Doc. No. 134). Attorney Eldrich’s expert report was submitted to the court on or about July 26, 2010. Report of Court Appointed Expert (“Eldrich Report”) (Doc. No. 149). The defendants filed their Motion for Summary Judgment on September 22, 2010. Defs’ Mot. for Summ. J. (Doc. No. 158).2

III. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

A. Timeline of Events

On or about February 12, 2002, Tatum retained FOMH to represent him in proceedings to dissolve his marriage to Murphy. Defendants’ First Local Rule 56(a)(1) Statement (Doc. No. 102) at ¶ 1 (hereinafter “Defs’ First 56(a)(1)”). The case was subsequently assigned to Oberg, a partner in the firm. On April 22, 2004, Tatum and Murphy entered a settlement agreement that provided for a division of their property and custody arrangements for their twin sons (hereinafter “settlement agreement” or “agreement”). Defs’ First 56(a)(1) at ¶4. Tatum’s representation by Oberg and FOMH ultimately lasted through June 2005.

Tatum’s allegations center on the terms of his settlement agreement with Murphy as to the division of property. Prior to April 2004, Tatum and Murphy engaged in discovery for the purpose of gauging their respective property holdings. During discovery, Murphy turned over financial affidavits that failed to disclose the full amount of her assets. Specifically, Murphy concealed that she (a) owned roughly $43,000 worth of U.S. Savings Bonds (hereinafter “bonds”), and (b) had purchased a parcel of real estate some time in 2002 (hereinafter “2002 real estate purchase”). Id. at ¶¶ 11, 13. Due to Murphy’s concealment of the bonds and the 2002 real estate purchase, the settlement agreement signed by Tatum and Murphy in April 2004 did not account for those holdings.

Soon after the settlement was executed, Tatum discovered, by reviewing receipts located at his residence, that Murphy had concealed her bond holdings. Id. at ¶ 6. Tatum then “conducted an internet asset search,” which uncovered the 2002 real estate purchase. Id. at ¶ 11. Based on these findings, on July 9, 2004, “Oberg filed a motion to reopen the property judgment ... [and] subpoenaed Dr. Murphy’s 2003 tax return.” Id. at ¶ 12. A hearing was held on Oberg’s Motion to Reopen, in which the court found that Murphy had [92]*92indeed submitted a “false” financial affidavit during the pre-settlement discovery process, and that the judge who initially approved the settlement agreement was consequently “deprived of accurate information.” Defs’ First 56(a)(1), Ex. F at 61-62. The court nonetheless denied the Motion to Reopen on two grounds: first, that there was no evidence of “bilateral fraud” on the court,3 and second, that the court could not find that there was a “substantial likelihood” that the stipulated agreement between Tatum and Murphy would have been different if the additional financial information had been disclosed before the settlement was executed in April 2004.4 Id. at 63-64. The court did reopen the April 2004 settlement agreement as to the “post high school education of the children,” in order to permit the savings bond assets to be placed in trust for the children’s higher education. Id. at 64.

Tatum subsequently retained new counsel to appeal the court’s denial of Oberg’s Motion to Reopen. Defs’ First 56(a)(1) at ¶ 14. A decision on appeal was never rendered, as Tatum and Murphy settled the matter in October 2005, with Tatum receiving $12,500 in exchange for withdrawing the appeal. Id. The savings bonds were placed in a trust for the benefit of the minor children, and Murphy agreed to withdraw her pending Motion for Child Support and not to ask the court for a child support order before August 29, 2006. See Eldrich Report (Doc. No. 149) at 4.

B. Legal Fees

The defendants assert that Tatum’s April 2004 settlement agreement required Murphy to pay Tatum’s attorneys’ fees for the Motion to Reopen. Defs’ First 56(a)(1), at ¶ 19. In support of this proposition, the defendants cite an excerpt from Tatum’s deposition, in which Tatum testified that Attorney Oberg secured for Tatum the “payment ... in part ... of [his] fees by [his] ex-wife,” as part of the initial settlement for divorce in April 2004. Id., Ex. G, at 223.

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Bluebook (online)
804 F. Supp. 2d 88, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 32064, 2011 WL 1134215, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tatum-v-oberg-ctd-2011.