Wagoner v. Dyson

647 So. 2d 493, 1994 WL 680271
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 7, 1994
Docket94-728
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 647 So. 2d 493 (Wagoner v. Dyson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wagoner v. Dyson, 647 So. 2d 493, 1994 WL 680271 (La. Ct. App. 1994).

Opinion

647 So.2d 493 (1994)

Ronald WAGONER, Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
Walter DYSON, et al., Defendants-Appellee.

No. 94-728.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

December 7, 1994.

*494 Richard Lynn Ducote, New Orleans, for Ronald Wagoner.

Brad Haight, Lafayette, for Walter Dyson, et al.

James Isaac Funderburk, Abbeville, for Vermilion Parish Sheriff Dept.

Melvin Alan Eiden, Lafayette, for Audubon Ins.

James L. Pate, Lafayette, for Parish of Vermilion.

Before YELVERTON, THIBODEAUX and PETERS, JJ.

PETERS, Judge.

This appeal arises out of a suit filed by Ronald D. Wagoner and his wife, Carolyn Rae Wagoner, to recover damages individually, and as administrators of the estates of their minor children, resulting from the alleged sexual molestation of their minor children by Walter Dyson. The acts of sexual molestation are alleged to have occurred at a hunting camp located on Pecan Island in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, between July 1, 1991, and July 4, 1991. Named as defendants in the suit were Dyson; the Vermilion Parish Police Jury (listed in the petition as the Parish of Vermilion); Raywood LeMaire, the Sheriff of Vermilion Parish; and their respective insurance companies. The Wagoners appeal the granting of an exception of no cause of action, an exception of prescription, and a summary judgment in favor of Sheriff LeMaire by the trial court.

FACTS

The Wagoners are the parents of two minor sons, E.W., born July 1, 1979, and T.W., born July 12, 1982. Their petition alleges that on July 1, 1991, their two sons were invited camping by their neighbor, Walter Dyson, whom they allege to be a deputy sheriff of the Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office. According to the pleadings, Dyson sexually abused and molested both children during the camping trip. When the boys were returned to their home on July 4, 1991, the youngest child informed the parents of the events of the weekend and the proper authorities were notified. As a result of the complaint, Dyson was subsequently indicted by a grand jury for six counts of molestation of a juvenile. Four counts were later dismissed and Dyson pled guilty to the remaining two on January 15, 1993.

Suit was first filed in St. James Parish on June 30, 1992, against the same defendants. Service of process on Sheriff LeMaire was accomplished on July 6, 1992. Sheriff LeMaire and the Vermilion Parish Police Jury filed exceptions of improper venue which were granted by the trial court on September 21, 1992. Judgment to that effect was signed on September 23, 1992, and after appeal, was affirmed by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal. Wagoner v. Dyson, 618 So.2d 432 (La.App. 5th Cir.), writ denied, 623 So.2d 1306 (La.1993). On the same day as the *495 hearing on the exceptions in St. James Parish, the Wagoners filed this suit in Vermilion Parish.

In their petition, the Wagoners contend damages are due them under a number of different theories, including:

• Recovery on behalf of their minor children for the childrens' physical, emotional, psychological, educational, and sexual harm as a result of the molestation and for related future expenses;
• Recovery individually for their physical, emotional, and psychological harm suffered as a result of seeing the effects of the molestation upon their children;
• Recovery individually for all expenses and costs directly related to and caused by the molestation of the children; and,
• Compensatory and punitive damages for violation of the plaintiffs' civil rights pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 1983, and attorney fees pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 1988.

Sheriff LeMaire responded to the petition by filing a motion for summary judgment as well as peremptory exceptions of no cause of action, no right of action, and prescription. After a hearing on January 3, 1994, the trial court granted Sheriff LeMaire's exception of no cause of action. The trial court also granted the Sheriff's exception of prescription as to acts of molestation occurring prior to July 3, 1991 and granted parts of a motion for summary judgment. The plaintiffs are appealing the trial court's rulings.

MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

In their petition the Wagoners allege that Walter Dyson was a deputy sheriff for the Parish of Vermilion in July of 1991 and he used that position to gain their trust and confidence. They specifically contend they would not have let their children go camping with Dyson had they not thought he was a deputy sheriff. Because of Dyson's employment status, the Wagoners contend Sheriff LeMaire is vicariously liable for the torts committed by his employee while in the course and scope of his employment. Additionally, the Wagoners allege that Sheriff LeMaire is independently negligent in,

• Employing or commissioning Walter Dyson as a Deputy Sheriff without conducting a proper background and psychological investigation.
• Employing or commissioning Walter Dyson as a Deputy Sheriff when they [sic] knew or should have known that he posed a danger to children in that capacity.
• Failing to supervise the actions of Walter Dyson.

The sheriff filed a motion for summary judgment contending Walter Dyson was not a deputy sheriff of Vermilion Parish in July of 1991, and therefore was not in the course and scope of employment at the time the molestation occurred; that Dyson had never been issued any equipment by the Vermilion Parish Sheriff's office; and that Sheriff LeMaire was not guilty of any independent negligence. Additionally, in the motion, Sheriff LeMaire contends the plaintiffs cannot assert a claim under "the Rayne State Hospital doctrine."

The trial judge granted the summary judgment in favor of the sheriff on the issues of Dyson's status as a Vermilion Parish deputy sheriff, as to the sheriff's vicarious liability for the acts of Dyson, and on the issue of the sheriff's independent negligence for the hiring of Dyson. However, the trial court denied the motion for summary judgment on the plaintiffs' claim under Louisiana Civil Code article 2315.6. (Referred to in the judgment as the "Rayne Branch Hospital claim").

A motion for summary judgment is properly granted only when the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with affidavits establish there is no genuine issue of material fact and the mover is entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law. Potter v. First Federal Savings and Loan of Scotlandville, 615 So.2d 318 (La.1993) and La.Code Civ.P. art. 966(A). For the purposes of a summary judgment, a fact is considered material if its existence or nonexistence is essential to the plaintiff's theory of recovery. Potter, supra. The burden of proving there is no genuine issue of material fact rests with the mover. Consequently, those pleadings, documents, and affidavits submitted by the mover will be scrutinized closely and any inferences to be *496 drawn therefrom will be construed in a light most favorable to the party opposing the motion. Id. See also Hopkins v. Sovereign Fire & Casualty Insurance Company, 626 So.2d 880 (La.App. 3d Cir.1993), writs denied, 94-0154 (La. 3/11/94); 634 So.2d 390 and 93-2958 (La. 3/11/94); 634 So.2d 402. Any doubt is resolved in favor of a trial on the merits.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Opinion Number
Louisiana Attorney General Reports, 2010
Fasullo v. Finley
782 So. 2d 76 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2001)
Wagoner v. Dyson
704 So. 2d 346 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1997)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
647 So. 2d 493, 1994 WL 680271, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wagoner-v-dyson-lactapp-1994.