Opinion ID: 885132
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: issues

Text: ¶ 17 Did the District Court abuse its discretion when it ruled on the motion for summary judgment without allowing Holms the opportunity to conduct further discovery? ¶ 18 Holms contends that the motion for summary judgment was premature because of an inadequate opportunity to conduct discovery. Specifically, the arguments are: 1) there were fewer than 45 days during which the case was not subject to either an appeal or a dispositive summary judgment motion in which to conduct discovery; 2) because the District Court simultaneously granted Holms' motion to file the counterclaims and granted summary judgment on those counterclaims, no adequate opportunity was allowed to conduct discovery on those claims; and 3) the summary judgment was premature because the court granted the motion in spite of the Stanleys' refusal to fully answer requests for production of documents. In the latter regard, Holms notes that there was a pending motion to compel the Stanleys to produce documents, after which deposition of various individuals were planned. ¶ 19 District courts have inherent discretionary power to control discovery. J.L. v. Kienenberger (1993), 257 Mont. 113, 119, 848 P.2d 472, 476 (citation omitted). This discretionary power extends to deciding whether to deny or to continue a motion for summary judgment pursuant to Rule 56(f), M.R.Civ.P., on the basis that the party opposing the motion needs further discovery. Kienenberger, 257 Mont. at 120, 848 P.2d at 477; Howell v. Glacier General Assur. Co. (1989), 240 Mont. 383, 386, 785 P.2d 1018, 1019, 1020. In urging the court to deny the motion for summary judgment on the basis that it was premature, Holms' argument was based on the standards set forth in Rule 56(f), M.R.Civ.P., which provides as follows: Should it appear from the affidavits of a party opposing the motion that the party cannot for reasons stated present by affidavit facts essential to justify the party's opposition, the court may refuse the application for judgment or may order a continuance to permit affidavits to be obtained or depositions to be taken or discovery to be had or may make such other order as is just. This Court has stated that a district court does not abuse its discretion in denying a Rule 56(f), M.R.Civ.P., motion where the party opposing a motion for summary judgment does not establish how the proposed discovery could preclude summary judgment. Kienenberger, 257 Mont. at 120, 848 P.2d at 477; Howell, 240 Mont. at 386, 785 P.2d at 1019, 1020. ¶ 20 Although Holms has detailed the sequence of events in this case and vigorously argues that more time was needed to obtain documents and take depositions, neither Holms' briefs nor the supporting affidavits in the District Court establish how the proposed discovery could preclude summary judgment. The only evidence Holms hoped to obtain was a letter written by the Stanleys to the Corwin-Eisinger group in September of 1994. However, a copy of that letter was obtained through other means and attached to Holms' affidavit in opposition to the Stanleys' motion for summary judgment. Thus, the District Court reviewed the letter in deciding the motion. Furthermore, Allan Holms testified in two affidavits that the Stanleys had reneged on commitments they made in September of 1994. Holms fails to explain what new facts could have been obtained through further discovery which could defeat the Stanleys' motion. ¶ 21 We hold that the District Court did not abuse its discretion in conducting the summary judgment hearing and ruling on the Stanleys' motion without allowing Holms the opportunity to conduct further discovery.