Opinion ID: 1088181
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: the trial court erred by granting summary judgment on roussel's complaint.

Text: Roussel contends that the trial court failed to address the question of the false and misleading supplemental abstract filed by Robbins in the Supreme Court. Roussel argues that Robbins committed an intentional tort  the use of a falsehood to persuade the court to decide against Roussel, and that it is a question of fact for the jury whether Robbins' intentional use of false statements injured Roussel. Roussel further argues that Robbins had a duty to Roussel under Miss. Code Ann. § 73-3-37 (1972), which commands lawyers never to seek to mislead by any artifice or false statement of the law. Robbins argues that in his appeal of the Allen litigation, Roussel never raised any issue of impropriety by Robbins, and therefore, Roussel is barred by the doctrines of collateral estoppel and res judicata from making any such allegation now. Robbins also argues that the one year statute of limitations for intentional torts bars Roussel's complaint as a matter of law. Robbins finally argues that the trial court correctly found that Roussel had no standing to seek redress for Robbins' alleged misconduct. [4] This Court employs a de novo standard in reviewing a grant of summary judgment. Owen v. Pringle, 621 So.2d 668 (Miss. 1993); Pace v. Financial Sec. Life of Miss., 608 So.2d 1135, 1138 (Miss. 1992). A trial court may grant summary judgment if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue of material fact, and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See M.R.C.P. 56; Morgan v. City of Ruleville, 627 So.2d 275 (Miss. 1993); Drummond v. Buckley, 627 So.2d 264 (Miss. 1993); Owen, supra . It appears that Robbins was entitled to judgment as a matter of law, for the following reason: the actions of Robbins which Roussel claimed to have harmed him do not conform to any tort actionable in this state's courts. There is no such tort as the use of a falsehood to persuade the court to decide against (a party). Moreover, Robbins had no duty to Roussel which could give rise to Roussel's recovery under a tort theory. In short, Roussel's allegations failed to make a claim upon which relief could be granted. That is, Roussel's claim could not even pass the test for a 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, let alone a motion for summary judgment. The trial court correctly granted summary judgment for Robbins.