Opinion ID: 1240833
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: merits of faculty house appeal

Text: The Faculty House contends the Court of Appeals erred in declining to address the merits of its appeal of the denial of its motion for summary judgment. We disagree. The Court of Appeals recognized that the denial of a motion for summary judgment is not immediately appealable. Ballenger v. Bowen, 313 S.C. 476, 443 S.E.2d 379 (1994). In Ballenger, supra, we stated, This Court has repeatedly held that the denial of summary judgment is not directly appealable. Willis v. Bishop, 276 S.C. 156, 276 S.E.2d 310 (1981); Mitchell v. Mitchell, 276 S.C. 44, 275 S.E.2d 1 (1981); Neal v. Carolina Power and Light, 274 S.C. 552, 265 S.E.2d 681 (1980); United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. City of Spartanburg, 267 S.C. 210, 227 S.E.2d 188 (1976); Medlin v. W.T. Grant, Inc., 262 S.C. 185, 203 S.E.2d 426 (1974); Greenwich Savings Bank v. Jones, 261 S.C. 515, 201 S.E.2d 244 (1973); Geiger v. Carolina Pool Equipment Distributors, Inc., 257 S.C. 112, 184 S.E.2d 446 (1971); see also Gilmore v. Ivey, 290 S.C. 53, 348 S.E.2d 180 (Ct.App.1986); Associates Financial Services Co. of South Carolina, Inc. v. Gordon Auto Sales, 283 S.C. 53, 320 S.E.2d 501 (Ct.App.1984). A majority of the other jurisdictions have reached this same conclusion. 4 C.J.S. Appeal and Error, § 98 (1993); 4 Am.Jur.2d Appeal and Error, § 104 (1962 & Supp.1993); 15 A.L.R.3d 899 (1967 & Supp.1993). Further, this Court has held that the denial of summary judgment is not reviewable even in an appeal from final judgment. Raino v. Goodyear Tire, 309 S.C. 255, 422 S.E.2d 98 (1992); Holloman v. McAllister, 289 S.C. 183, 345 S.E.2d 728 (1986). 313 S.C. at 476-77, 443 S.E.2d 379. Ballenger specifically overruled two cases which were inconsistent with this rule, and noted that the denial of summary judgment does not finally determine anything about the merits of the case and does not have the effect of striking any defense since that defense may be raised again later in the proceedings. Therefore, an order denying a motion for summary judgment is not appealable. 313 S.C. at 477-78, 443 S.E.2d 379. See also Silverman v. Campbell, 326 S.C. 208, 486 S.E.2d 1 (1997)(reiterating that denial of summary judgment is not appealable, even after final judgment). The only recent exception to this rule by this Court was in a case prior to Ballenger, Davis v. Lunceford, 287 S.C. 242, 335 S.E.2d 798 (1985), in which we allowed the appeal of the denial of summary judgment to proceed in the third appeal of a medial malpractice action which had been pending for thirteen years. [7] We adhere to recent precedent and hold that the denial of a motion for summary judgment is not appealable, even after final judgment. To the extent the cases cited by the Court of Appeals are inconsistent, they are expressly overruled. [8] Accordingly, the Court of Appeals' refusal to consider the merits of Faculty House's appeal is affirmed.