Opinion ID: 2032355
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Bank.

Text: Included in the undisputed material facts supporting the bank's motion for summary judgment are the following. Smallwood is an employee of the bank and was so employed in January of 1991. Wilson school was a banking customer. In the fall of 1991, Miller inquired as to certain checks of the Wilson school account. Smallwood recalled Bitner cashing a $1000 check payable to Wilson school on January 3, 1991. It was easy for her to remember because it was a large amount and Bitner had requested large bills. She was well acquainted with Bitner and knew he was principal at Wilson school. A letter concerning the check cashing incident was prepared at the request of Miller and signed by Smallwood and furnished to Miller as business manager of the school. No letter was ever furnished by the bank or Smallwood or any other bank employee to any other person or party. The bank's motion for summary judgment also incorporated the school district's statement of undisputed material facts. Based on the undisputed material facts the district court found statements made by the bank and Smallwood were entitled to an absolute privilege or a qualified privilege under Iowa law and that there was no disputed facts which would show actual malice. The district court found Bitner's resistance to the motion for summary judgment was not timely filed and his resistance and statements of undisputed facts with affidavit and exhibits attached were not considered. Bitner did not file a motion for continuance or request that entry of summary judgment be delayed. When a party fails to request a continuance under 237(f), it is generally not an abuse of discretion for the court to rule on the motion for summary judgment. See King v. Cooke, 26 F.3d 720, 726 (7th Cir.1994). Under this record the bank has a qualified privilege as to the statements made and there is no evidence of actual malice.