Wanda Sharp, Individually and as Next Friend of Joseph Riggs v. Anderson County and Anderson School Board of Education

• Court: Court of Appeals of Tennessee
• Decided: February 5, 1996
• Docket: 03A01-9508-CV-00282
• Status: Published

Opinion

I N THE COURT OF APPEALS

FILED February 5, 1996

Cecil Crowson, Jr. Appellate C ourt Clerk W ANDA SHARP, I ndi vi dua l l y a nd a s ) ANDERSON CI RCUI T M t h e r a nd Ne xt Fr i e nd of o ) C. A. NO. 03A01- 9508- CV- 0028 2 J OSEPH RI GGS, ) ) Pl a i nt i f f s - Appe l l a nt s ) ) ) ) ) ) vs . ) HON. J AMES B. SCOTT, J R. ) J UDGE ) ) ) ) ) ANDERSON COUNTY a nd ANDERSON ) AFFI RMED AND REMANDED SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATI ON, ) De f e nda nt s - Appe l l e e s )

GLENN R. W ALTER, Kr a me r , Ra ys on, Le a ke , Rodge r s & M ga n, or Kn o x - v i l l e , f or a ppe l l a nt .

MARTI N L. ELLI S a nd VONDA M . LAUGHLI N, But l e r , Vi ne s & Ba b b , Kn o x v i l l e , f or a ppe l l e e s .

O P I N I O N

M M r a y, J . c ur Thi s i s a n a ppe a l f r om a j udgme nt gr a nt i ng a mot i on f or s umma r y

j u d g me n t i n f a vor of t he de f e nda nt s - a ppe l l e e s a nd di s mi s s i n g t h e

p l a i nt i f f s ' c ompl a i nt . W a f f i r m t he j udgme nt of t he t r i a l c our t . e

Thi s a c t i on wa s i ns t i t ut e d unde r t he pr ovi s i ons of t he

Go v e r n me nt a l Tor t Li a bi l i t y Ac t , T. C. A. § 29- 20- 103, e t s e q. Th e

p l a i nt i f f s a l l e ge d t ha t t he pl a i nt i f f , J os e ph Ri ggs , a mi nor , wa s

a s t u d e nt a t Cl i nt on Hi gh Sc hool a nd wa s i nj ur e d whi l e e nga ge d i n

" h o r s e p l a y" wi t h a not he r s t ude nt . The y f ur t he r a l l e ge d M . Fr a n k r

Fr a g o me ni , a t e a c he r , wa s ne gl i ge nt in a c t i ve l y i ns t i ga t i ng ,

e n c o u r a gi ng a nd i nc i t i ng a da nge r ous a c t i vi t y ( hor s e pl a y) whi c h h e

kne w or s houl d ha ve known wo u l d l e a d t o s e r i ous i nj ur y. Th e

p l a i nt i f f s f ur t he r c ha r ge d t he de f e nda nt s wi t h ne gl i ge nc e in

f a i l i ng t o a de qua t e l y moni t or t he a c t i vi t i e s of t e a c he r s r e ga r d i n g

e n f o r c e me nt of s c hool r ul e s .

The de f e nda nt s f i l e d a n a ns we r i n whi c h t he y a l l e ge d, i nt e r

al i a, i mmuni t y, a s s umpt i on of r i s k, a nd c ompa r a t i ve f a ul t . Th e y

f ur t h e r a l l e ge d t ha t t he pr oxi ma t e c a us e of t he i nj ur y wa s t h e

n e g l i g e nc e of t he mi nor pl a i nt i f f . Subs e que nt t o t he i r a ns we r , t h e

d e f e n d a nt s , pur s ua nt t o Rul e 56, T. R. C. P. , f i l ed a mot i on f o r

s u mma r y j udgme nt on t he gr ounds t ha t t he r e wa s no ge nui ne i s s ue o f

a ma t e r i a l f a c t . I n s uppor t t he r e of , t he de f e nda nt s r e l i e d u p o n

t he d e p os i t i ons of Fr a nk Fr a gome ni a nd J os e ph Ri ggs . The y f ur t h e r

f i l e d t he a f f i da vi t s of Sc ot t Euge ne Da ughe r t y, J us t i n W l l i a m i

2 Howa r d a nd Br a dl e y Aa r on Ha c kne y, al l s t ude nt s at Cl i nt on Hi g h

Sc h o o l a nd wi t ne s s e s t o t he i nc i de nt i n que s t i on.

The pl a i nt i f f s f i l e d a r e s po n s e t o t he de f e nda nt s ' mot i on f o r

s u mma r y j udgme nt r e l yi ng upon t he t e s t i mony a t t a c he d to t he

d e f e n d a nt s ' mot i on a nd t he a f f i da vi t of J os e ph Ri ggs .

STANDARD OF REVI EW

The s t a nda r ds gove r ni ng a n a ppe l l a t e c our t ' s r e v i e w of a t r i a l c our t ' s a c t i on on a mot i on f or s umma r y j udgme nt a r e we l l s e t t l e d. Si nc e ou r i nqui r y i nvol ve s pur e l y a que s t i on o f l a w, no pr e s umpt i on of c or r e c t ne s s a t t a c he s t o t he t r i a l c o u r t ' s j udgme nt , a nd our t a s k i s c onf i ne d t o r e vi e wi ng t he r e c or d t o de t e r mi ne wh e t he r t he r e qui r e me nt s of Te nn. R. Ci v . P. 56 ha ve be e n me t . Cowde n v. Sovr a n Ba nk/ Ce nt r a l So u t h, 816 S. W 2d 741, 744 ( Te nn. 1991) . Te nn. R. Ci v. P. . 5 6 . 0 3 pr ovi de s t ha t s umma r y j u d g me nt i s onl y a ppr opr i a t e wh e r e : ( 1) t he r e i s no ge nui ne i s s ue wi t h r e ga r d t o t he ma t e r i a l f a c t s r e l e va nt t o t he c l a i m or de f e ns e c on t a i n e d i n t he mot i on, Byr d v . Ha l l , 847 S. W 2d 208, 210 ( Te nn. . 1 9 9 3 ) ; a nd ( 2) t he mov i ng pa r t y i s e nt i t l e d t o a j udgme nt a s ma t t e r of l a w on t he undi s put e d f a c t s . Ande r s on v. St a nda r d Re gi s t e r Co . , 857 S. W 2d 555, 559 ( Te nn. 1993) . . The movi ng pa r t y ha s t he bur de n of pr ovi ng t ha t i t s mot i on s a t i s f i e s t he s e r e qui r e me nt s . Downe n v. Al l s t a t e I ns . Co. , 8 1 1 S. W 2d 523, 524 ( Te nn. 1991) . .

The s t a nda r ds gove r ni ng t he a s s e s s me nt of e vi de nc e i n t he s u mma r y j udgme nt c ont e xt a r e a l s o we l l e s t a bl i s he d. Cour t s mus t vi e w t he e vi de nc e i n t he l i ght mos t f a vor a bl e t o t he n o n movi ng pa r t y a nd mus t a l s o dr a w a l l r e a s ona bl e i nf e r - e nc e s i n t he nonmovi ng pa r t y' s f a v o r . Byr d , 847 S. W 2d a t. 2 1 0 - 11. Cour t s s houl d gr a nt a s umma r y j udgme nt onl y whe n b o t h t he f a c t s a nd t he c onc l us i ons t o be dr a wn f r om t he f a c t s pe r mi t a r e a s ona bl e pe r s on t o r e a c h onl y one c onc l u- s i o n . I d.

Ca r v e l l v. Bot t oms , 900 S. W 2d 23 ( Te nn. 1995) . .

3 THE FACTS

The r e a r e no di s put e d f a c t s a s t o t he wa y a nd ma nne r i n wh i c h

t he a c c i de nt ha ppe ne d. The mi nor pl a i nt i f f ( a ge 16 a t t he t i me o f

t h e a c c i de nt ) wa s a me mbe r of M . Fr a gome ni ' s He a l t h a nd Phys i c a l r

Ed u c a t i o n cl as s . I m di a t e l y me pr i or to t he mi nor pl a i nt i f f ' s

i n j u r y , t he c l a s s i n whi c h t he mi nor pl a i nt i f f wa s a me mbe r br o k e

f or l u n c h a nd t he s t ude nt s we nt out s i de . Appr oxi ma t e l y s e ve n o f

t he ma l e me mbe r s of t he c l a s s be ga n t o e nga ge i n hor s e pl a y. Th e

h o r s e p l a y be ga n t o ge t r ough a t whi c h t i me M . r Fr a gome ni or de r e d

t he s t u de nt s t o s t op. Al l di d e xc e pt f or t he mi nor pl a i n t i f f .

Ei t he r t he pl a i nt i f f j ump e d on t he ba c k of a not he r a nd l a r g e r 1 s t u d e n t or t he pl a i nt i f f t a c kl e d t h e l a r ge r s t ude nt a t t he l e gs .

Th e t wo f e l l ba c k a nd t he mi nor pl a i nt i f f ' s a r m wa s br oke n.

The pl a i nt i f f f r e e l y a dmi t s t ha t he wa s e nga ge d i n hor s e p l a y

b u t d e n i e s t ha t M . Fr a gome ni t ol d t he m t o s t op. r Addi t i ona l l y h e

a s s e r t s t ha t M . r Fr a gome ni e nc our a ge d t he hor s e pl a y. M. r Fr a g a -

mi n i d e ni e s t ha t he di d s o. The pl a i nt i f f di s a gr e e s a s s e r t i ng t ha t

M . Fr a gome ni s t a t e d: " go ge t hi m J oe , " a nd " J oe ' s t he t op dog i n r

hi s c l a s s . " The s e a r e t he onl y f a c t s i n di s put e .

1 We do not consider this to be a material fact. According to the minor plaintiff's version, he tackled the larger student by the legs. In his deposition he stated:

" I picked him up and run back with him and I was going to dump him. When I felt his weight shift, I let go of him to break my fall, that's all I remember."

4 In hi s d e p o s i t i on, t he pl a i nt i f f wa s a s ke d t he f ol l owi ng

q u e s t i o ns a nd ga ve t he f ol l owi ng a ns we r s :

Q. W n doe s t he c omme nt — W n di d Coa c h Fr a gome ni s a y, he he " I t l ooks l i ke J oe ' s t he t op dog i n c l a s s , " b e f or e you gr a bbe d Chr i s ?

A. W n I wa s wa l ki ng t owa r d Chr i s t o gr a b hi m. he

Q. Oka y.

A. W n I gr a bbe d hi m, I pi c ke d hi m up. You know, whe n he I wa s wa l ki ng t owa r d Chr i s t o gr a b h i m, he s a i d i t , t he n r i ght a f t e r he got t hr ough s a yi ng i t , I gr a bbe d Chr i s a nd pi c ke d hi m up.

Q. Ar e you t e l l i ng me t ha t you we r e not goi ng t o pi c k up Chr i s ?

A. Ye s , I wa s pi c ki ng Chr i s up.

Q. So i t di dn' t ma t t e r wha t Coa c h Fr a gome ni s a i d one wa y or t he o t he r ; i s t ha t r i ght ?

A. Ye s .

Q. No ma t t e r wha t t he c oa c h s a i d or di dn' t s a y, you we r e goi ng t o pi c k up Chr i s .

I n r ul i ng on a mot i on f or s umma r y j udgme nt , t he t r i a l c our t a n d

t hi s c o u r t a r e r e qui r e d t o vi e w a l l t he e vi de nc e i n a l i ght mo s t

f a v o r a b l e t o t he non- movi ng pa r t y. The i s s ue s t ha t l i e at t he

h e a r t o f e va l ua t i ng a s umma r y j udgme nt mot i on a r e : ( 1) whe t he r a

f a c t ua l di s put e e xi s t s ; ( 2) whe t he r t he di s put e d f a c t i s ma t e r i a l

t o t h e o ut c o me o f t he c a s e ; a nd ( 3) whe t he r t he di s put e d f a c t

c r e a t e s a ge nui ne i s s ue f or t r i a l . Byr d v. Ha l l , s upr a , a t 21 4 .

5 A di s put e d f a c t is ma t e r i a l if it mus t be de c i de d i n or de r to

r e s o l v e t he s ubs t a nt i ve c l a i m or de f e ns e a t whi c h t he mot i on i s

d i r e c t e d. Byr d, a t 215.

The s t a nda r d of c a r e f or t e a c he r s a nd s c hool o f f i c i a l s i s we l l s t a t e d i n t he c a s e of Ki ng by Ki ng v. Ka r t a ns on , 720 S. W 2d 65 ( Te nn. App. 1986) . I n t ha t c a s e . t wo t e a c he r s ha d be e n f ound gui l t y of ne gl i ge nc e i n a l l owi ng a 13- ye a r - ol d s t ude nt , unde r t he i r c a r e , t o c r os s a s t r e e t uns upe r vi s e d. The boy wa s s t r uc k by a c a r i n s o doi ng. On a ppe a l t he c a s e wa s r e ve r s e d a nd, i n d o i ng s o, t he c our t s a i d:

Te a c he r s i n l oc a l s c hool di s t r i c t s a r e not e xpe c t e d t o be i ns ur e r s of t he s a f e t y of s t ude nt s whi l e t he y a r e a t s c hool . Robe r t s v . Robe r t s on Count y Boa r d of Educ a - t i on , 692 S. W 2d 863 ( Te nn. App. 1985) . The s t a nda r d of . c a r e i s t ha t of r e a s ona bl e a nd or di n a r y c a r e unde r t he c i r c ums t a nc e s . Ha wki ns Count y v. Da vi s , 216 Te n n . 262, 3 9 1 S. W 2d 658 ( 1965) . Thi s s t a nda r d of c a r e va r i e s . a c c or di ng t o t he na t ur e of t he pe r s ons t o whom t he dut y i s owe d a nd t he c i r c ums t a nc e s unde r whi c h t he pa r t i e s f i nd t he ms e l ve s . Robe r t s v. Robe r t s on Count y Boa r d of Ed uc a t i on , 692 S. W 2d 863 ( Te nn. App. 1985) . The e xt e nt . t o whi c h a t e a c he r mus t s upe r vi s e t he a c t i vi t i e s of hi s o r he r s t ude nt s mus t be de t e r mi ne d wi t h r e f e r e nc e t o t he a ge a nd i ne xpe r i e nc e of t he s t ude nt s , t he i r ma t ur i t y, a nd t he da nge r s t o whi c h t he y ma y be e xpos e d. Towns l e y v. Ye l l ow Ca b Compa ny , 145 Te nn. 91, 237 S. W 58 ( 1922) . .

Go e d e k e , e t al v. Ca r t e r , et al , ( Te nn. App. opi ni on f i l e d M r c h a 1 7 , 1 9 8 9) .

In our vi e w, j udge d unde r t he a bove r ul e s of l a w, t he

" d i s p u t e d f a c t s " s e t o ut a bove a r e not " ma t e r i a l " f a c t s whi c h wou l d

r e n d e r s umma r y j udgme nt i n a ppr opr i a t e . Cl e a r l y f r om t he t e s t i mo n y

o f t he pl a i nt i f f , n e i t he r a c t i ons or i na c t i ons of M . Fr a gome ni l e d r

t o t h e i nj ur y. Addi t i ona l l y t e s t e d unde r t he s t a nda r ds unde r wh i c h

a d i r e c t e d ve r di c t or J NOV i s a ppr opr i a t e , we a r e of t h e o pi ni o n

6 t ha t r e a s ona bl e mi nds c oul d not di f f e r a s t o a ppor t i onme nt of f a u l t

t o t he e x t e n t t ha t t he pl a i nt i f f wa s a t l eas t f i f t y pe r c e nt at

f a ul t a nd t hus b a r r e d f r om r e c ove r y. Se e Ea t on v . M Cl a i n, c 891

S. W 2 d 587 ( Te nn. 1994) . .

The p l a i nt i f f s f ur t he r a r gue t ha t t he t e a c he r wa s n e gl i ge nt i n

t ha t he vi ol a t e d s c hool r u l e s or pol i c y. W l e i t i s e s t a bl i s h e d hi

t h a t t h e s c hool ha d a " ha n ds of f " pol i c y, i t i s not c l e a r whe t h e r

t he " ha nds of f " r e f e r s t o s t ude nt t o s t ude nt or t e a c he r t o s t ude n t .

I n a n y e ve nt , howe ve r , we mus t de c i de i f a vi ol a t i on of a s c h o o l

r ul e o r pol i c y by a t e a c he r c ons t i t ut e s a c t i ona bl e ne gl i ge nc e . We

h o l d t h a t i t doe s not .

[ Thi s ] c our t a ddr e s s e d t he i s s ue of t he c r e a t i on of l i a bi l i t y by vi r t ue of r e qui r e me nt s of c ompa ny r ul e s i n t he c a s e of Eps t e i n, He nni ng & Co. v. Ra i l wa y Co. , 4 Te nn. App. 412 ( 1926) . As pe r t i ne nt he r e , t he c our t q u ot e d wi t h a ppr ova l a s f ol l ows :

" Pr i va t e r ul e s of a ma s t e r r e gul a t i ng t he c onduc t of hi s s e r va nt s i n t he ma na ge me nt of hi s own bus i ne s s , a l t hough de s i gne d f or t he pr ot e c t i on of ot he r s , s t a nd on a n e nt i r e l y di f f e r e nt f oot i ng f r om s t a t ut e s a nd muni c i pa l or di na nc e s de s i gne d f or t he pr ot e c t i on of t he publ i c . The l a t t e r , a s f a r a s t he y go, f i x t he s t a nda r d of dut y t owa r d t hos e whom t he y we r e i nt e nd e d t o pr ot e c t , a nd a vi ol a t i on of t he m i s ne gl i ge nc e i n l a w or pe r s e . But a pe r s on c a nnot , by t he a dopt i on of pr i va t e r ul e s , f i x t he s t a nda r d of hi s dut y t o ot h e r s . Tha t i s f i xe d by l a w, e i t he r s t a t ut or y o r c ommon. Suc h r ul e s ma y r e qui r e mor e , or t he y ma y r e qui r e l e s s , t ha n t he l a w r e q u i r e s ; a nd whe t he r a c e r t a i n c our s e of c onduc t i s ne gl i ge nt ! or t he e xe r c i s e of r e a s ona bl e c a r e , mus t b e de t e r mi ne d by t he s t a nda r d f i xe d by l a w, wi t hout r e ga r d t o a ny pr i va t e r ul e s o f t h e pa r t y. "

7 Go e d e k e , s upr a .

I n Goe de ke , s upr a a nd i n Sni de r v. Sni de r , 855 S. W 2d 5 8 8 .

( Te n n . App. 1983) t he a bov e r ul e s we r e a ppl i e d i n a c t i ons a ga i n s t

c o u n t y s c hool boa r ds . Addi t i ona l l y we not e t ha t t he c our t s i n t h i s

s t a t e h a ve c ons i s t e nt l y he l d t ha t a vi ol a t i on of r ul e s or ot h e r

r e g u l a t i ons pr omul ga t e d t o r e gul a t e " i n hous e " c onduc t doe s n o t

c o n s t i t ut e ne gl i ge nc e pe r s e. Se e , e . g. Ne vi l l v. Ci t y of

Tu l l a h o ma , 756 S. W 2d . 226 ( Te nn. 1988) a nd Ri me r v. Ci t y of

Co l l e g e da l e , 835 S. W 2d 22 ( Te nn. App. 1992) . .

Un de r t he pr e va i l i ng l a w whe n a ppl i e d t o t he undi s put e d f a c t s

a n d c i r c ums t a nc e s of t hi s c a s e we a r e of t he opi ni on t ha t s umma r y

j u d g me n t wa s a ppr opr i a t e . W a f f i r m t he j udgme nt e of t he t r i a l

c our t .

Cos t s a r e t a xe d t o t h e a ppe l l a nt a nd t hi s c a s e i s r e ma nde d t o

t he t r i a l c our t f or t he c ol l e c t i on t he r e of .

_______________________________ _ _ _ Don T. M M r a y, J . c ur

CONCUR:

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____________________________ He r s c he l P. Fr a nks , J .

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____________________________

8 Cl i f f o r d E. Sa nde r s , Sr . J udge .

9 I N THE COURT OF APPEALS

W ANDA SHARP, I ndi vi dua l l y a nd a s ) ANDERSON CI RCUI T M t h e r a nd Ne xt Fr i e nd of o ) C. A. NO. 03A01- 9508- CV- 0028 2 J OSEPH RI GGS, ) ) Pl a i nt i f f s - Appe l l a nt s ) ) ) ) ) ) vs . ) HON. J AMES B. SCOTT, J R. ) J UDGE ) ) ) ) ) ANDERSON COUNTY a nd ANDERSON ) AFFI RMED AND REMANDED SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATI ON, ) De f e nda nt s - Appe l l e e s )

ORDER

Thi s a ppe a l c a me o n t o b e he a r d upon t he r e c or d f r om t h e

Ci r c u i t Cour t of Ande r s on Count y, br i e f s a nd a r gume nt of c ouns e l .

Up o n c o n s i de r a t i on t he r e of , t hi s Cour t i s of t he opi ni on t ha t t he r e

wa s n o r e ve r s i bl e e r r or i n t he t r i a l c our t .

The j udgme nt o f t he t r i a l c our t i s a f f i r me d. Cos t s a r e t a xe d

t o t h e a ppe l l a nt a nd t hi s c a s e i s r e ma nde d t o t he t r i a l c our t f o r

t he c o l l e c t i on t he r e of .

PER CURI AM 11