Case Name: Terry FARMER and Wife, Brenda Farmer, Appellants v. Richard Dale RICHARDSON, Appellee
Court: Mississippi Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: Mississippi
Decision Date: 2007-12-11
Citations: 970 So. 2d 261
Docket Number: No. 2006-CA-01659-COA
Parties: Terry FARMER and Wife, Brenda Farmer, Appellants v. Richard Dale RICHARDSON, Appellee.
Judges: Before LEE, P.J., GRIFFIS and ISHEE, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 970
Pages: 261–267

Head Matter:
Terry FARMER and Wife, Brenda Farmer, Appellants v. Richard Dale RICHARDSON, Appellee.
No. 2006-CA-01659-COA.
Court of Appeals of Mississippi.
Dec. 11, 2007.
William L. Ducker, Purvis, attorney for appellants.
William E. Andrews, Purvis, attorney for appellee.
Before LEE, P.J., GRIFFIS and ISHEE, JJ.

Opinion:
LEE, P.J.,
for the Court.
FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
¶ 1. In December 1992, Terry and Brenda Farmer entered into a lease purchase agreement with Richard Richardson to purchase certain land in Lamar County. This agreement expired in January 1996 and Richardson asked the Farmers to vacate the premises. The Farmers bought a tract of land adjacent to Richardson's land. The relationship between the Farmers and Richardson was contentious at best with both parties filing numerous legal actions against the other in the years after the lease purchase agreement expired. The parties also engaged in physical confrontations, one of which occurred on April 2, 1996, and involved Terry Farmer, his father, Clyde Farmer, and Richardson. All parties were physically injured to some extent.
¶ 2. On May 14, 1996, the Farmers filed a complaint in the Lamar County Circuit Court against Richardson seeking damages for malicious prosecution, harassment, damage to their reputation, false imprisonment, abuse of process, mental anguish, emotional distress, loss of wages, and medical expenses. On October 2, 1996, Terry filed a complaint for injunction in the Lamar County Chancery Court. On February 5, 1997, the chancellor entered an agreed temporary judgment with injunction ordering the parties to refrain from harassing the other or interfering with the quiet enjoyment of their property. The chancellor also noted that the prior civil action filed in circuit court had been consolidated with the claim in chancery court and that the issues concerning damages and the boundary line dispute would be heard at a later date. The chancellor also appointed a surveyor to establish the boundary line between the parties' land. To resolve land access issues an easement was drafted by both parties, approved by the court and recorded.
¶ 3. Meanwhile, Clyde Farmer filed a suit against Richardson for damages arising from the physical altercation among Terry, Clyde and Richardson on April 2, 1996. This matter was eventually submitted to arbitration. The arbitrator found in favor of Richardson and the cause was dismissed with prejudice.
¶ 4. On December 30, 1999, an order dismissing the case was filed. On June 12, 2000, an agreed order reinstating the case was filed. Richardson filed a motion for summary judgment on April 3, 2001, claiming that there were no remaining issues to be litigated. The trial court granted Richardson's motion for summary judgment finding, in pertinent part, as follows:
This Court, having reviewed the matter and materials furnished, finds it is unable to put into a proper perspective the dates and times of the occurrences complained of by Plaintiffs in relation to the other legal actions taken which may be res adjudicata as to those claims and demands. However, the Agreed Temporary Judgment with Injunction rendered by the Court on February 3, 1997 was certainly an effort and binding requirement that the parties live peaceably without interfering with each other and that Injunction should be made permanent in view of the numerous instances cited of unsociable actions between the parties. Therefore, it is the finding of the Court that a Summary Judgment is granted as to all matters that have been [sic] heretofore been litigated by any other legal tribunal based on complaints by either of the parties to this action. Plaintiffs are entitled to a hearing on any incidences which post date other legal proceedings between the parties.
¶ 5. Shortly thereafter, the Farmers filed a motion for clarification and/or for the court to construe the judgment. In his order dated May 19, 2005, the trial judge found the judgment to be final as to all issues except as to damages, if any, sustained by the Farmers because of wrongful destruction to their water lines; damages, if any, sustained by Terry resulting from wrongful prosecution by Richardson; and damages, if any, sustained by the Farmers for personal injuries and property damage as a result of Richardson's negligence or gross negligence. The trial court further ordered the Farmers' attorney to serve process on Richardson as if a new cause of action had been filed. Summons was issued to Richardson on June 28, 2005, and July 11, 2005.
¶ 6. The docket shows an order entered on September 9, 2005, which states "trial set 10/12/05 Forrest County." Although the record does not contain any transcript of this proceeding, two letters by the parties' attorneys reference this particular hearing. The letters reference a hearing on October 12, 2005, wherein the parties were instructed to provide the court with certain information regarding the pending causes of action as well as other relevant matters previously adjudicated.
¶ 7. On July 25, 2006, the chancellor entered an order of clarification and dismissal, finding that the Farmers' claims against Richardson were res judicata. The chancellor determined that the acts on which the damages were based had been previously adjudicated. On August 28, 2006, the chancellor entered a final judgment dismissing all claims by both parties with prejudice.
¶8. The Farmers now appeal to this Court asserting that the chancellor erred in granting summary judgment in favor of Richardson and that the decision of the arbitrator in Clyde Farmer's personal injury case should not preclude the Farmers from litigating separate causes of action. As these issues are related, we will address them together. Finding error, we affirm in part and reverse and remand in part.
DISCUSSION OF ISSUES
I. DID THE CHANCELLOR ERR IN GRANTING SUMMARY JUDGMENT?
II. DID THE DECISION OF THE ARBITRATOR IN CLYDE FARMER'S PERSONAL INJURY ACTION PRECLUDE THE FARMERS FROM LITIGATING SEPARATE CAUSES OF ACTION?
¶ 9. In their issues on appeal, the Farmers argue that the chancellor erred in granting summary judgment in favor of Richardson. The Farmers specifically argue that summary judgment should not have been granted in regard to their causes of action which are separate from Clyde Farmer's lawsuit. In reviewing a lower court's grant of summary judgment, this Court employs a de novo standard of review. Anglado v. Leaf River Forest Prods., 716 So.2d 543, 547(¶ 13) (Miss.1998). Summary judgment "shall be rendered forthwith if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law." M.R.C.P. 56(c).
¶ 10. Clyde Farmer's lawsuit stemmed from the physical altercation among Terry, Clyde and Richardson on April 2, 1996. The arbitrator ruled that Richardson was not liable for any injuries to Clyde resulting from the fight. Part of Terry's lawsuit concerns personal injuries sustained in this same altercation. The chancellor determined that there was privity between Clyde and Terry because both participated in the incident which precipitated Clyde's suit and a portion of Terry's suit. The chancellor stated that the "resulting fault on which the damages are based [was] previously adjudicated." For res judicata to apply, four identities are required: (1) identity of the subject matter of the action; (2) identity of the cause of action; (3) identity of the parties to the action; and (4) identity of the quality or character of a person against whom the claim is made. Hogan v. Buckingham ex rel. Buckingham, 730 So.2d 15, 18(¶ 9) (Miss.1998) (quoting Dunaway v. W.H. Hopper & Assocs., 422 So.2d 749, 751 (Miss.1982)). Furthermore, "strict identity of parties is not necessary for either res judicata or collateral estoppel to apply, if it can be shown that a nonparty stands in privity with the party in the prior action." Id. at 18(¶ 11); see also Little v. V & G Welding Supply, 704 So.2d 1386, 1339(¶ 15) (Miss.1997). In this case, the parties, the claim and the defendant are all substantially identical; thus, it was appropriate for the chancellor to dismiss Terry's claim relating to the altercation with Richardson as res judicata. The dissent disagrees, noting that there is not "authority supporting the proposition a father and son are in privity with each other merely because of their familial relationship." Neither this opinion nor the chancellor relies upon that relationship solely to establish privity. The dissent simply interprets the facts of the case differently in order to reverse the chancellor's decision.
¶ 11. However, we find that the chancellor erred in dismissing all of the Farmers' claims as res judicata. Not all of the Farmers' claims resulted from the physical altercation with Richardson. The Farmers' claim of damages for destruction of their water lines and Terry's claim of damages for wrongful prosecution by Richardson are separate and distinct. Terry was convicted in justice court for petit larceny but, upon appeal to circuit court, was acquitted. The charge was originally brought by Richardson. It is unclear from the record as to whether these other claims have been considered by the chancellor.
¶ 12. These parties have been fighting each other legally as well as physically for years and their conduct borders on an abuse of the legal system. While we are not condoning the methods by which they chose to settle their grievances, nevertheless we are compelled to follow the law and, accordingly, the Farmers are entitled to prove their remaining claims. Therefore, we affirm in part and reverse and remand in part for proceedings consistent with this opinion.
¶ 13. THE JUDGMENT OF THE LAMAR COUNTY CHANCERY COURT IS AFFIRMED IN PART AND REVERSED AND REMANDED IN PART FOR PROCEEDINGS CONSISTENT WITH THIS OPINION. ALL COSTS OF THIS APPEAL ARE ASSESSED EQUALLY TO BOTH PARTIES.
MYERS, P.J., GRIFFIS, ISHEE AND CARLTON, JJ., CONCUR. IRVING, J., NOT PARTICIPATING. BARNES, J., CONCURS IN PART AND DISSENTS IN PART WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION JOINED BY KING, C.J., CHANDLER AND ROBERTS, JJ.