Opinion ID: 1301591
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Did Joseph and Charles Golke Receive the March 13, 2000, Letter?

Text: ¶ 46 American Family claims that it sent letters on both March 13, 2000, and April 6, 2000. One copy of each letter was sent to David Golke, and a second copy of each letter was sent to Joseph and Charles Golke at their business address. David Golke admits receiving both letters, and Joseph and Charles Golke admit receiving the April 6, 2000, letter. Joseph and Charles Golke, however, do not recall receiving the March 13, 2000, letter. As we shall see, the uncontroverted evidence demonstrates that, as a matter of law, Joseph and Charles Golke did receive the March 13, 2000, letter. ¶ 47 American Family's adjuster testified that he wrote the March 13, 2000, letter on his computer in his cubicle at American Family's office and placed it in his cubicle's outgoing mailbox. The adjuster's assistant was responsible for placing the letter in an envelope and placing postage on the envelope. On March 13, 2000, American Family's routine, habit, and practice was for an employee to check the adjuster's cubicle every hour during the work day and pick-up any outgoing mail. Outgoing mail was given to a mail delivery service at 3:00 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. The mail delivery service then delivered the outgoing mail to the post office for delivery of the mail to its ultimate destination. ¶ 48 Evidence of routine business practice is admissible for the purposes of showing that a particular action was in conformity with habit or routine practice. See Wis. Stat. § 904.06; 1A J. Wigmore, Wigmore on Evidence § 95 (Tillers rev. 1983). Joseph and Charles Golke provided no evidence that American Family's routine mailing practice was not followed or was in any way interfered with, prevented, or frustrated with regard to the March 13, 2000, letter. Joseph and Charles Golke also conceded that the business address listed in the letter's heading was their address at the time, and that they met with American Family's investigator at that address shortly before the letter was sent. Therefore, the unrebutted evidence is that American Family sent the March 13, 2000, letter to Joseph and Charles Golke in a properly addressed and postage-prepaid envelope. [16] ¶ 49 These facts are sufficient to raise a rebuttable presumption that the March 13, 2000, letter was not only sent, but was received by Joseph and Charles Golke. State ex rel. Flores, 183 Wis.2d at 613, 516 N.W.2d 362. The presumption is strengthened by the fact that Joseph and Charles Golke concede receiving other mail from American Family at the address to which the March 13, 2000, letter was sent, namely, the April 6, 2000, letter. See 31A C.J.S. Evidence § 235 ([T]he presumption may arise where a party admits to receiving another notice mailed to the same address.). The presumption is further strengthened by the fact that American Family's adjuster prepared an identical letter to David Golke on the same day using the same routine mailing practice for that letter as for the letter sent to Joseph and Charles Golke, and David Golke concedes that he received the copy of the March 13, 2000, letter sent to him. See Id. (explaining that when a letter is sent to each of two neighbors, and the first neighbor received the letter, a presumption arises that the second neighbor also received the letter). [17] ¶ 50 This presumption of receipt can only be rebutted by credible evidence of non-receipt, usually in the form of a denial that the letter was received. See State ex rel. Flores, 183 Wis.2d at 613, 516 N.W.2d 362. Neither Joseph nor Charles Golke denied that they received the March 13, 2000, letter, however. Rather, they concede that they may have received the letter, but cannot recall one way or the other. Non-remembrance, though, does not constitute denial, and does not rebut the presumption of receipt. Id. ¶ 51 Joseph and Charles Golke argue that the letter should not be presumed received because they allegedly had some difficulties receiving mail at their business, there is no affidavit of mailing, and the letter was sent via first-class rather than certified mail. None of these constitute a denial or credible evidence of non-receipt, and are therefore not enough to overcome the presumption of receipt. We therefore apply the law to the unrebutted facts and presume that Joseph and Charles Golke received American Family's letter dated March 13, 2000. Because notice was provided, we must examine whether the notice was sufficient to discharge American Family's duty to preserve the evidence.