Thompson v. Buckeye Joint Vocational School Dist.

2016 Ohio 2804
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 29, 2016
Docket2915 AP08 0047
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 2016 Ohio 2804 (Thompson v. Buckeye Joint Vocational School Dist.) 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
Thompson v. Buckeye Joint Vocational School Dist., 2016 Ohio 2804 (Ohio Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

[Cite as Thompson v. Buckeye Joint Vocational School Dist., 2016-Ohio-2804.]

COURT OF APPEALS TUSCARAWAS COUNTY, OHIO FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

JUDGES: JONATHAN THOMPSON, ET AL : Hon. Sheila G. Farmer, P.J. : Hon. W. Scott Gwin, J. Plaintiffs-Appellees : Hon. Patricia A. Delaney, J. : -vs- : : Case No. 2015 AP 08 0047 BUCKEYE JOINT VOCATIONAL : SCHOOL DISTRICT, ET AL : : OPINION Defendants-Appellants

CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Civil appeal from the Tuscarawas County Court of Common Pleas, Case No. 2015 CT 04 0218

JUDGMENT: Affirmed in part; Reversed and Remanded in part

DATE OF JUDGMENT ENTRY: April 29, 2016

APPEARANCES:

For Plaintiffs-Appellees For Defendants-Appellants

STACIE ROTH MATTHEW MARKLING The Carnegie Building PATRICK VROBEL 236 Third Street SW 1894 North Cleveland-Massillon Road Canton, OH 44702 Akron, OH 44333 Tuscarawas County, Case No. 2015AP 0047 2

Gwin, J.,

{¶1} Appellants appeal the July 20, 2015 judgment entry of the Tuscarawas

County Court of Common Pleas overruling their motion for judgment on the pleadings.

Facts & Procedural History

{¶2} On April 13, 2015, appellees J.T., a minor child, and Tim and Karen

Thompson, as natural guardians of J.T., filed a complaint against Buckeye Joint

Vocational School District (“BJVSD”), Buckeye Joint Vocational School District Board of

Education, Buckeye Career Center (“BCC”), Buckeye Career Center Board of Education

(collectively, “Buckeye appellants”), Spencer Altier (“Altier”), and John Davis (“Davis”),

individually and/or in his official capacity as teacher with BCC. The complaint states that

BJVSD, the BJVSD Board of Education, BCC, and the BCC Board of Education are

political subdivisions. The complaint further alleges at all times relevant herein, Davis

was a person acting individually and/or within the course and scope of his employment

as a teacher.

{¶3} The complaint states J.T. was a student enrolled in a landscaping course

taught by Davis. Further, J.T. was being harassed, tormented, and threatened by fellow

student Altier. Because of the threats, harassment, and/or torment, J.T.’s parents met

with Davis and expressed their concern. Davis told them he would monitor Altier and

ensure J.T.’s safety. The complaint states Davis took no further action to report Altier’s

behavior to the property entities or individuals.

{¶4} The complaint alleges in April of 2013, Davis transported students, including

J.T. and Altier, to his private residence and instructed them to landscape his yard, lawn,

and curtilage. Further, that Davis recklessly and with wanton disregard, left the students Tuscarawas County, Case No. 2015AP 0047 3

unattended for a significant period of time. During this time, Altier attacked, battered, and

physically assaulted J.T., fracturing his skull and resulting in permanent injuries and

damages.

{¶5} In their first, second, and third causes of action, appellees allege assault,

battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress against Altier. In their fourth cause

of action, appellees allege reckless supervision. The complaint states the defendants

had a duty to exercise reasonable supervision and control over their employees and

students to avoid injuries to students. Further, that defendants, acting in their individual

and official capacities, breached this duty by recklessly and with wanton disregard failing

to exercise reasonable supervision and control over Altier and in allowing Davis to

transport students to his private residence notwithstanding prior knowledge of Altier’s

propensity to be violent towards J.T.

{¶6} In their fifth cause of action, appellees allege failure to report child abuse

pursuant to R.C. 2151.421. The complaint states Davis, acting in his official capacity as

a school employee with BJVSD, BCC, and their boards of education, their agents or

employees, owed a statutory duty pursuant to R.C. 2151.421 to report suspected child

abuse and neglect to the appropriate authorities. Further, that Davis negligently,

recklessly, in bad faith, and with wanton disregard, breached his statutory duty by failing

to timely and appropriately report child abuse. The complaint alleges R.C. 2151.421(M)

provides an exception to statutory governmental immunity because whoever violates

section (A) is liable for compensatory damages. The sixth and seventh causes of action

allege medical expenses, loss of consortium, and punitive damages. Tuscarawas County, Case No. 2015AP 0047 4

{¶7} After the defendants filed answers to the complaint, BJVSD, BCC, their

boards of education, and Davis filed a motion for judgment on the pleadings, arguing they

were immune from liability. Appellees filed a memorandum contra on June 5, 2015 and

appellants filed a reply brief on June 18, 2015.

{¶8} The trial court issued a judgment entry on July 20, 2015. The trial court

found the Buckeye appellants and Davis are generally immune from liability. However,

the trial court found appellees alleged sufficient facts that, if true, may create an exception

to this liability pursuant to R.C. 2744.02(B)(5) and R.C. 2151.421(A)(1)(a) and (M).

Further, the trial court found appellees have pled sufficient facts, if true, from which a

reasonable person could find Davis acted in a wanton or reckless manner; also, appellees

have pled sufficient facts to create a material fact issue under R.C. 2744.03(A)(5) and

2744.03(A)(6). The trial court thus determined that neither the Buckeye appellants nor

Davis were entitled to judgment as a matter of law on the basis of immunity.

{¶9} Appellants appeal the July 20, 2015 judgment entry of the Tuscarawas

County Court of Common Pleas and assign the following as error:

{¶10} “I. THE TUSCARAWAS COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS ERRED

IN DENYING DEFENDANTS-APPELLANTS BUCKEYE JOINT VOCATIONAL SCHOOL

DISTRICT, BUCKEYE JOINT VOCATIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF

EDUCATION, BUCKEYE CAREER CENTER, AND BUCKEYE CAREER CENTER

BOARD OF EDUCATION THE BENEFITS OF STATUTORY IMMUNITY FROM

LIABILITY UNDER R.C. CHAPTER 2744. Tuscarawas County, Case No. 2015AP 0047 5

{¶11} “II. THE TUSCARAWAS COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS ERRED

IN DENYING DEFENDANT-APPELLANT JOHN DAVIS THE BENEFITS OF

STATUTORY IMMUNITY FROM LIABILITY UNDER R.C. CHAPTER 2744.

{¶12} “III. THE TUSCARAWAS COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS ERRED

IN FAILING TO DETERMINE THAT DEFENDANT-APPELLANT JOHN DAVIS HAS

BEEN SUED IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY ONLY.”

Appellate Court Jurisdiction

{¶13} Generally, a judgment overruling a motion for judgment on the pleadings is

not a final appealable order. Paul C. Harger Trust v. Morrow County Regional Planning

Commission, 5th Dist. Morrow No. 03-CA-19, 2004-Ohio-6643. However, R.C.

2744.02(C) provides that an order denying a political subdivision or an employee of a

political subdivision immunity is a final order from which an appeal can be taken. Id.

Civil Rule 12(C)

{¶14} Motions for judgment on the pleadings are governed by Civil Rule 12(C),

which provides: “After the pleadings are closed but within such time as not to delay the

trial, any party may move for judgment on the pleadings.” Pursuant to Civil Rule 12(C),

dismissal is only appropriate where a court (1) construes the material allegations in the

complaint, with all reasonable inferences to be drawn therefrom, in favor of the non-

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2016 Ohio 2804, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thompson-v-buckeye-joint-vocational-school-dist-ohioctapp-2016.