Opinion ID: 1688797
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: whether there exists any genuine issue of material fact which would preclude the granting of summary judgment

Text: ¶ 19. This Court reviews grants of summary judgment de novo. Owen v. Pringle, 621 So.2d 668, 670 (Miss. 1993). 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 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). A fact is material if it `tends to resolve any of the issues, properly raised by the parties.' Webb v. Jackson, 583 So.2d 946, 949 (Miss.1991) (quoting Mink v. Andrew Jackson Cas. Ins. Co., 537 So.2d 431, 433 (Miss.1988) (quoting Mississippi Rd. Supply Co. v. Zurich-American Ins. Co., 501 So.2d 412, 414 (Miss.1987))). The evidence must be viewed in the light most favorable to the non-moving party. If, in this view, the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law, then summary judgment should be granted. Otherwise, the motion should be denied. Mosby v. Moore, 716 So.2d at 558 (citing Brown v. Credit Ctr., Inc., 444 So.2d 358, 362 (Miss.1983)). ¶ 20. Although this is a case of first impression as to the application of the statute to inmates engaged in a work release program claiming negligence by the governmental entity, there is no genuine issue of material fact. Wallace was an inmate of the Mississippi Department of Corrections and in the custody of the Simpson County Correctional Work Center at the time his claim occurred. As stated in Miss.Code Ann. § 11-46-9(1)(m), a governmental entity is immune from all claims arising from claimants who are inmates at the time the claim arises. The Legislature provided for no exception to this provision; therefore, Wallace's claim against the Town of Raleigh is barred.