Wilson v. Colbert County Board of Education

952 So. 2d 1122, 2006 Ala. Civ. App. LEXIS 160, 2006 WL 825089
CourtCourt of Civil Appeals of Alabama
DecidedMarch 24, 2006
Docket2040604
StatusPublished

This text of 952 So. 2d 1122 (Wilson v. Colbert County Board of Education) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wilson v. Colbert County Board of Education, 952 So. 2d 1122, 2006 Ala. Civ. App. LEXIS 160, 2006 WL 825089 (Ala. Ct. App. 2006).

Opinions

BRYAN, Judge.

The plaintiffs — Stanley E. Wilson; Debra J. Wilson; and Kyle Wilson, by and through his father and mother and next friends, Stanley E. Wilson and Debra J. Wilson — appeal a summary judgment entered in favor of the defendants — the Colbert County Board of Education (“the Board”), Bonnie Starkey, David Jones, and Jenetta Waddell. We affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand.

Starkey is a special-education aide employed by the Board. Kyle, a special-needs student, attended Leighton Elemen[1124]*1124tary School, where Starkey worked. On March 18, 2004, Kyle and his parents sued the Board and Starkey, alleging negligence and claims under § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794.1 In their complaint, the plaintiffs alleged that at school on March 20, 2002, Starkey dropped Kyle and fell on him while she was transferring Kyle from a changing table to his wheelchair. The plaintiffs alleged that Kyle sustained a broken right leg because of the incident.

On May 24, 2004, the Board and Starkey filed a Rule 12(b)(6), Ala. R. Civ. P., motion to dismiss, alleging that all the claims against them should be dismissed on the ground of governmental immunity. The plaintiffs subsequently filed a response to the motion to dismiss.

On October 28, 2004, the plaintiffs amended their complaint to add as defendants David Jones, the principal of Leigh-ton Elementary School, and Jenetta Wad-dell, the special-education director for the Colbert County school system. In their amended complaint, the plaintiffs alleged that Jones and Waddell had negligently supervised and trained Starkey. The amended complaint also purported to allege fraud and bad-faith claims against Jones and Waddell.

On October 29, 2004, the Board and Starkey again filed a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, alleging that all the claims against them should be dismissed on the ground of governmental immunity. The motion to dismiss was supported by Starkey’s affidavit. On December 8, 2004, defendants Jones and Waddell also filed a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, alleging that all the claims against them should be dismissed on the ground of governmental immunity. On February 8, 2005, the defendants filed a second affidavit by Starkey in support of all the defendants’ motions to dismiss. Starkey’s second affidavit included the text of Starkey’s original affidavit, as well as some additional text.

The trial court held a hearing on February 23, 2005. On that same date, the trial court granted the defendants’ motions and entered a judgment in favor of the defendants. The plaintiffs timely appealed to the supreme court, and, pursuant to § 12-2-7(6), Ala.Code 1975, the supreme court transferred the appeal to this court.

Although the defendants titled their motions as motions to dismiss, they submitted Starkey’s affidavits in support of their motions. Rule 12(b), Ala. R. Civ. P., states, in pertinent part: “If, on a motion asserting the defense numbered (6) to dismiss for failure ... to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, matters outside the pleading are presented to and not excluded by the court, the motion shall be treated as one for summary judgment .... ” In Hornsby v. Sessions, 703 So.2d 932, 937-38 (Ala.1997), the supreme court stated:

“When matters outside the pleadings are considered on a motion to dismiss, the motion is converted into a motion for summary judgment, Rule 12(b), Ala. R. Civ. P.; this is the case regardless of what the motion has been called or how it was treated by the trial court, Papastefan v. B&L Constr. Co., 356 So.2d 158 (Ala.1978); Thome v. Odom, 349 So.2d 1126 (Ala.1977).”

Because the trial court was presented with, and did not exclude, matters outside the pleadings, the defendants’ motions to dismiss were converted into motions for a summary judgment. Rule 12(b), Ala. R. [1125]*1125Civ. P.; and Hornsby v. Sessions, supra. Therefore, in reviewing the trial court’s judgment, we apply the standard of review applicable to summary judgments.

“In reviewing the disposition of a motion for summary judgment, ‘we utilize the same standard as the trial court in determining whether the evidence before [it] made out a genuine issue of material fact,’ Bussey v. John Deere Co., 531 So.2d 860, 862 (Ala.1988), and whether the movant was ‘entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.’ Wright v. Wright, 654 So.2d 542 (AIa.1995); Rule 56(c), Ala. R. Civ. P. When the movant makes a prima facie showing that there is no genuine issue of material fact, the burden shifts to the nonmovant to present substantial evidence creating such an issue. Bass v. SouthTrust Bank of Baldwin County, 538 So.2d 794, 797-98 (Ala.1989). Evidence is ‘substantial’ if it is of ‘such weight and quality that fair-minded persons in the exercise of impartial judgment can reasonably infer the existence of the fact sought to be proved.’ Wright, 654 So.2d at 543 (quoting West v. Founders Life Assurance Co. of Florida, 547 So.2d 870, 871 (Ala.1989)). Our review is further subject to the caveat that this Court must review the record in a light most favorable to the nonmovant and must resolve all reasonable doubts against the movant. Wilma Corp. v. Fleming Foods of Alabama, Inc., 613 So.2d 359 (Ala.1993); Hanners v. Balfour Guthrie, Inc., 564 So.2d 412, 413 (AIa.1990).”

Hobson v. American Cast Iron Pipe Co., 690 So.2d 341, 344 (Ala.1997).

On appeal, the plaintiffs argue (1) that the trial court erred by dismissing the negligence claim against Starkey because, the plaintiffs say, Starkey is not entitled to State-agent immunity; and (2) that the trial court erred by dismissing the claim against the Board under § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act because, the plaintiffs say, the Board is not entitled to immunity under that act.2 However, the plaintiffs did not present their second argument to the trial court. “This Court cannot consider arguments raised for the first time on appeal; rather, our review is restricted to the evidence and arguments considered by the trial court.” Andrews v. Merritt Oil Co., 612 So.2d 409, 410 (Ala.1992). See also Blackmon v. Brazil, 895 So.2d 900, 907 (Ala.2004) (“This Court cannot, on the basis of an argument made for the first time on appeal, hold that the trial court erred in entering ... summary judgment.”). Because the plaintiffs have not challenged the summary judgment with respect to their claim against the Board under § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act on any other grounds, we must affirm the summary judgment with respect to that claim.

Accordingly, we will consider only the plaintiffs’ first argument, which relates only to the claim against Starkey. In Ex parte Cranman, 792 So.2d 392 (Ala.2000), our supreme court restated the rule governing State-agent immunity:

“A State agent shall be immune from civil liability in his or her personal capacity when the conduct made the basis of the claim against the agent is based upon the agent’s
“(1) formulating plans, policies, or designs; or
“(2) exercising his or her judgment in the administration of a department or [1126]*1126agency of government, including, but not limited to, examples such as:

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

Related

Gwin, White & Prince, Inc. v. Henneford
305 U.S. 434 (Supreme Court, 1939)
Wilma Corp. v. Fleming Foods of Alabama
613 So. 2d 359 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1993)
Ex Parte Nall
879 So. 2d 541 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2003)
Ex Parte Dan Tucker Auto Sales, Inc.
718 So. 2d 33 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1998)
Bass v. SOUTHTRUST BANK OF BALDWIN CTY.
538 So. 2d 794 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1989)
Hobson v. American Cast Iron Pipe Co.
690 So. 2d 341 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1997)
Bussey v. John Deere Co.
531 So. 2d 860 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1988)
Thorne v. Odom
349 So. 2d 1126 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1977)
Ex Parte Butts
775 So. 2d 173 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2000)
Blackmon v. Brazil
895 So. 2d 900 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2004)
Andrews v. Merritt Oil Co., Inc.
612 So. 2d 409 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1992)
Hanners v. Balfour Guthrie, Inc.
564 So. 2d 412 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1990)
Hornsby v. Sessions
703 So. 2d 932 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1997)
Ex Parte Spivey
846 So. 2d 322 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2002)
Wright v. Wright
654 So. 2d 542 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1995)
Ex Parte Blankenship
806 So. 2d 1186 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2000)
Tucker v. Cullman-Jefferson Counties Gas Dist.
864 So. 2d 317 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2003)
Ex Parte Cranman
792 So. 2d 392 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2000)
Giambrone v. Douglas
874 So. 2d 1046 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2003)
West v. Founders Life Assur. Co. of Florida
547 So. 2d 870 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1989)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
952 So. 2d 1122, 2006 Ala. Civ. App. LEXIS 160, 2006 WL 825089, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wilson-v-colbert-county-board-of-education-alacivapp-2006.