Opinion ID: 352427
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: contract count

Text: 6 We turn first to the contract count of the complaint. Defendant ADT argues that the District Court should not have granted the motion for summary judgment. The motion, ADT argues, did not present facts which would be admissible as evidence at trial, as required by Rule 56(e) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. ADT further argues that even if the evidence would be admissible, it is insufficient to support a summary judgment. 7 The summary judgment was based upon two documents. The first was an affidavit by the police officer who obtained confessions from Smith and Hines describing the perpetration of the thefts. The second was a transcript of Smith's and Hines' testimony at the criminal trial of one of their alleged co-conspirators. These two documents establish that Smith and Hines regularly stole from IDC by disabling the burglar alarms and misusing the keys IDC provided to ADT. 8 Notwithstanding ADT's assertion to the contrary, the affidavit and trial transcript proffered admissible evidence sufficient to support summary judgment on the contract claim. Smith's and Hines' incriminating statements would be admissible at trial, either through their own testimony, or if the culprits proved to be unavailable as witnesses, as statements against interest. See Fed.R.Evid. 804(b)(3). Furthermore, either an affidavit or a certified transcript of prior testimony may provide the basis for summary judgment. 6 Moore, Federal Practice, 56-203-204 (2d ed. 1976) and cases cited. 9 The affidavit and transcript establish prima facie a breach of ADT's contractual duty to provide continuous alarm service, and are opposed only by ADT's bare allegation that Smith and Hines did not commit the thefts. But a party may not avoid summary judgment by mere allegations unsupported by affidavit. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(e). Hence, summary judgment for IDC on the contract count was proper. 10 IDC, of course, agrees that this summary judgment in its favor is proper, but maintains that the District Court improperly limited damages to $446.00. The District Court fully analyzed this contention before rejecting it, and we need not repeat that analysis, which we think is correct.