Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-arwd-2_06-cv-02045/USCOURTS-arwd-2_06-cv-02045-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
General Motors Corporation
Defendant
Lindsey Green
Plaintiff
Christopher Whitledge
Defendant

Document Text:

AO72A

(Rev. 8/82)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

FORT SMITH DIVISION

LINDSEY GREEN PLAINTIFF

v. Civil No. 06-2045

GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION and

CHRISTOPHER WHITLEDGE DEFENDANT

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

Currently before the Court are Separate Defendant

Christopher Whitledge’s Motion for Summary Judgment and Brief

in Support (Docs. 35-36) and Plaintiff’s Response (Doc. 43).

Plaintiff filed her Complaint in the Circuit Court of

Sebastian County, Greenwood District, alleging negligence

claims against both Defendants and claims for breach of

warranty and products liability against Separate Defendant

General Motors Corporation (GM) in connection with an

automobile accident on January 3, 2004, involving a vehicle

driven by Whitledge and a vehicle driven by Rosalind Phillips

in which Plaintiff was a passenger. (Doc. 1). On April 20,

2006, Whitledge removed the action to this court asserting the

existence of diversity jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1332.

Plaintiff filed a motion to remand that the Court denied on

June 9, 2006. (Doc. 18).

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AO72A

(Rev. 8/82)

Plaintiff filed an amended complaint on December 20, 2006, after the filing of 1

Whitledge’s Motion for Summary Judgment. However, the amended complaint did not

change the claims or allegations against Whitledge, therefore, the Court’s ruling applies to

the Amended Complaint (Doc. 45) as well as the initial Compalint.

2

On June 29, 2006, GM filed a Notice of Nonparty Fault

pursuant to Section 16-55-202 of the Arkansas Code alleging

that Plaintiff’s damages, if any, were caused, in whole or in

part, by the negligence of Rosalind Phillips. (Doc. 19). On

July 12, 2006, the Court issued a final scheduling order

setting a trial date of March 26, 2007. (Doc. 24).

Whitledge contends he is entitled to summary judgment as

there are no genuine issues of material fact surrounding

Plaintiff’s allegations that Whitledge was negligent in

causing the accident and Plaintiff’s damages. After reviewing

the pleadings and the evidence on file in the light most

favorable to the nonmoving party as required, the court finds

that there are no issues of fact which would preclude summary

judgment. Therefore, Whitledge’s Motion is GRANTED and

Plaintiff’s claims against him are DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.1

Defendant submitted testimony of Plaintiff acknowledging

that Rosalind Phillips and not Whitledge was responsible for

causing the accident. (Doc. 36, Ex. A). Defendant also

submitted testimony from a witness, Tonya Uselton, Whitledge,

and the investigating officer, Corporal David Dominic of the

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3

Fort Smith Police Department, all stating that Ms. Phillips,

not Whitledge, was responsible for causing the accident.

(Doc. 36, Exs. B-D). Plaintiff provided no evidence in her

response to rebut this testimony. Plaintiff’s response

consists only of a statement that “questions of fact still

remain and plaintiff requests a hearing.” (Doc. 43, p. 1).

Accordingly, Plaintiff’s request for a hearing is DENIED, and

Whitledge’s Motion (Doc. 35) is GRANTED as Plaintiff failed to

meet her burden of meeting proof with proof to demonstrate the

existence of a material issue of fact. See Young v. GastroIntestinal Ctr., 361 Ark. 209, ___S.W.3d___ (2005).

In her response, Plaintiff also requests a hearing to

prevent GM from filing a Notice of Nonparty Fault concerning

Christopher Whitledge as the notice must be filed 120 days

prior to trial. Plaintiff’s request is DENIED as premature.

This case remains set for a jury trial to commence during

the week of March 26, 2007.

IT IS SO ORDERED this 29th day of January, 2007.

/s/ Robert T. Dawson 

Honorable Robert T. Dawson

United States District Judge

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