Opinion ID: 949758
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Patterson’s Second Suit Against Infinity

Text: On April 15, 2010, Patterson filed a complaint alleging that Infinity had: (1) falsely advertised the protection it would afford Patterson; (2) breached the insurance contract by failing to represent Patterson in other litigation following the December 2006 accident; (3) embezzled money from Patterson by continuing to draw money from his account after cancellation; (4) falsified documents regarding the payment of his medical bills in relation to the December 2006 accident; and (5) committed fraud by “threatening to make [Patterson] at fault” for the accident. Patterson broadly asserted that all of Infinity’s actions were in violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).1 On October 26, 2010, Infinity filed a motion for summary judgment, contending that: (1) Patterson’s suit was barred by res judicata and collateral estoppel; (2) Patterson’s suit was barred by the statute of limitations; and (3) the superior court lacked jurisdiction over Patterson’s RICO claims. Infinity also argued that Patterson had not shown a genuine issue of material fact and Infinity was entitled to judgment as a matter of law. On May 13, 2011, Superior Court Judge John Suddock granted Infinity’s motion for summary judgment, concluding that all of Patterson’s claims were barred by res judicata. The court first determined that Patterson’s earlier suit, which was dismissed 1 18 U.S.C. §§ 1961-1968 (2006). -4- 6792 on summary judgment, resulted in a valid final judgment. Because the parties involved in the two suits were also the same, the court concluded that the present case “revolve[d] around identity of claims between those currently at issue and those previously available to Mr. Patterson and Infinity.” The court then analyzed the relationship between Patterson’s two suits, concluding that Patterson’s second suit asserted a similar harm as his first suit, relied on the same set of operative facts as his first suit, and would rely on the same evidence and proof as his first suit. In particular, the court concluded that both cases revolved around the “series of transactions” that flowed from the December 2006 accident. Accordingly, the court held that the doctrine of res judicata barred Patterson from bringing the present suit. Patterson appeals the superior court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of Infinity.