Title: Like v. Pierce

State: arkansas

Issuer: Arkansas Supreme Court

Document:

Linda LIKE, et al. v. Dave PIERCE, d/b/a D &
M Mobile Home Sales

96-835                                             ___ S.W.2d ___

                    Supreme Court of Arkansas
               Opinion delivered December 9, 1996



Judgment -- no genuine issue of material fact shown -- summary 
     judgment for appellee affirmed. -- Where appellant's pleadings
     and proof failed to show a genuine issue of material fact
     establishing her injuries were caused by appellee's
     negligence, the trial court's ruling that appellee was
     entitled to judgment as a matter of law was affirmed.


     Appeal from Pulaski Circuit Court; John B. Plegge, Judge;
affirmed.
     Webb & Doerpinghaus, by:  Doyle Webb, II, for appellant.
     Pope, Ross, Dendy, & Cazort, by:  Robert D. Ross, for
appellee.

     Tom Glaze, Justice.
     Appellant Linda Like brought this tort suit against Dave
Pierce and his business, D & M Mobile Home Sales, after Like
sustained a broken ankle when she was on D & M's premises to tour
some mobile homes.  She alleged that, in order to view the motor
homes, she was required to exit the back door of D & M's office
onto steps, and as she descended from the bottom step onto a gravel
walkway, her ankle turned, causing her to fall.  Like alleged the
business's steps were of a faulty design, too narrow, and too steep
for a safe exit from the office.  Pierce filed a motion for summary
judgment, asserting there was no evidence that Like's injury was
caused by his or D & M's negligence.  The trial court granted
Pierce's motion, from which Like brings this appeal.  We affirm.
     Like argues the trial court erred in finding no issue of
material fact existed.  She first notes that, because she was a
business invitee, D & M owed her a duty to use ordinary care to
maintain its premises in a reasonably safe condition.  Young v.
Paxton, 316 Ark. 655,