Opinion ID: 884215
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Review of District Court's Grant of Summary Judgment

Text: The District Court in this case properly converted Stone's motion to dismiss to a motion for summary judgment. Under Rule 12(c), M.R.Civ.P., if matters outside the pleadings are presented to and not excluded by the court, the motion shall be treated as one for summary judgment and disposed of as provided in Rule 56, and all parties shall be given reasonable opportunity to present all materials made pertinent to such a motion by Rule 56. Here, Stone attached an affidavit to his motion, thus putting Gremaux on notice that the court should properly convert Stone's motion to dismiss to a summary judgment motion. Gremaux was given reasonable opportunity in his response to the motion and at oral argument to present material issues of fact and did not. Thus, we determine the District Court properly considered the motion as one for summary judgment and will review its decision accordingly. We review a district court's grant of summary judgment de novo. Motarie v. Northern Montana Joint Refuse Disposal Dist. (1995), 274 Mont. 239, 242, 907 P.2d 154, 156. Therefore, we review the record to determine whether material issues of fact exist and whether the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law pursuant to Rule 56, M.R.Civ.P. Bruner v. Yellowstone County (1995), 272 Mont. 261, 264, 900 P.2d 901, 903.