Opinion ID: 2184956
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Additional Materials in Opposition to Summary Judgment

Text: For their last point on appeal, Appellants argue that the trial court erred in refusing to allow them to supplement the record with certain materials in opposition to the motion for summary judgment. The materials in question include an affidavit from an expert witness and copies of parts of AHTD's Standard Specifications for Highway Construction. There is no merit to Appellants' argument on this point. During the hearing below, Rogers asked the court not to admit the materials because their last-minute submission would prejudice it. The trial court granted the motion, finding that the motion for summary judgment had been pending for over a year and one-half and that Appellants had ample time to get these materials filed, instead of waiting until the day before the hearing. Notwithstanding that ruling, the trial court did consider the materials in determining that Rogers was entitled to summary judgment. The trial court's order reflects: However, the Court did review this material, and heard oral arguments about the content of this material. The Court finds they would not have created a factual dispute in light of the uncontroverted affidavit of C.W. McMillian that Rogers Group performed the contract to the Department's specifications and under the Department's direction. Thus, because the trial court actually considered the materials in granting summary judgment, Appellants suffered no prejudice from the original ruling striking the materials. We will not reverse a trial court's decision to disallow evidence absent a showing of prejudice. See Columbia Nat'l Ins. Co. v. Freeman, 347 Ark. 423, 64 S.W.3d 720 (2002); Madden v. Aldrich, 346 Ark. 405, 58 S.W.3d 342 (2001). We thus affirm the trial court's judgment. Affirmed. GLAZE, J., not participating.