Opinion ID: 1959363
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Serra's Appeal

Text: In its notice of appeal from the trial court's summary judgment for Edwards, Serra lists the trial court's September 25, 2001, order overruling its Rule 60(a) motion as the order appealed from; in its brief to this Court, it sets out the following two issues: 1. Whether Edwards Chevrolet made a sufficient showing that there [were] no genuine issues of material fact in that [Edwards] was entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law. 2. Whether [Serra] presented sufficient evidence demonstrating that a genuine issue of material fact existed regarding Edwards Chevrolet's tortious interference with [Serra's] Satellite Agreement [by which Serra agreed to operate a satellite dealership in Gardendale] with [GM] and therefore caused GM to terminate the Satellite Agreement with [Serra]. Our review of a summary judgment is de novo. In reviewing the disposition of a motion for summary judgment, `we utilize the same standard as the trial court in determining whether the evidence before [it] made out a genuine issue of material fact,' Bussey v. John Deere Co., 531 So.2d 860, 862 (Ala.1988), and whether the movant was `entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.' Wright v. Wright, 654 So.2d 542 (Ala.1995); Rule 56(c), Ala. R. Civ. P. When the movant makes a prima facie showing that there is no genuine issue of material fact, the burden shifts to the nonmovant to present substantial evidence creating such an issue. Bass v. SouthTrust Bank of Baldwin County, 538 So.2d 794, 797-98 (Ala.1989). Evidence is `substantial' if it is of `such weight and quality that fair-minded persons in the exercise of impartial judgment can reasonably infer the existence of the fact sought to be proved.' Wright, 654 So.2d at 543 (quoting West v. Founders Life Assurance Co. of Florida, 547 So.2d 870, 871 (Ala. 1989)). Our review is further subject to the caveat that this Court must review the record in a light most favorable to the nonmovant and must resolve all reasonable doubts against the movant. Wilma Corp. v. Fleming Foods of Alabama, Inc., 613 So.2d 359 (Ala.1993); Hanners v. Balfour Guthrie, Inc., 564 So.2d 412, 413 (Ala.1990). Hobson v. American Cast Iron Pipe Co., 690 So.2d 341, 344 (Ala.1997). Further, this Court has stated: In determining the propriety of summary judgment, i.e., whether there exists any genuine issue of material fact, we are limited in our review to the same factors considered by the trial court when it initially ruled on the motion, Ex parte Bagby Elevator & Electric Co., Inc., 383 So.2d 173 (Ala.1980), and on such a motion the trial court can consider only the material which is before it at the time of submission of the motion. Stallings v. Angelica Uniform Co., 388 So.2d 942 (Ala.1980). Prudential Ins. Co. of America v. Coleman, 428 So.2d 593, 598 (Ala.1983)(emphasis added.) The trial court ruled on Edwards's motion for a summary judgment on March 23, 2001. Accordingly, in determining the propriety of the trial court's summary judgment for Edwards, we consider only the evidence and testimony of record as of that date; evidence and testimony placed in the record after this date, including that presented at trial, cannot be considered in this review. See Bean v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 591 So.2d 17 (Ala.1991); Prudential Ins. Co. of America v. Coleman, supra . The elements of [a cause of action for tortious interference with a contract] are 1) the existence of a contract or business relation, 2) the defendant's knowledge of the contract or business relation, 3) intentional interference by the defendant with the contract or business, and 4) damage to the plaintiff as a result of the defendant's interference. Bama Budweiser of Montgomery, Inc. v. Anheuser-Busch, Inc., 611 So.2d 238, 246-47 (Ala.1992)(citing Century 21 Academy Realty, Inc. v. Breland, 571 So.2d 296 (Ala. 1990)). In its brief to this Court, Edwards admits that the first two elements of a cause of action for tortious interference with a contract exist. However, Edwards argues that, at the time the trial court ruled on its motion for a summary judgment, Serra had offered only speculation as to Leon Edwards's alleged interference with Serra's contract with GM, that it had offered no evidence of damages, and that Serra's contract with GM in regard to its operation of a satellite sales facility in Gardendale had not been terminated. In its reply brief to this Court, Serra states, in pertinent part: Edwards contends that even if the Plaintiff can demonstrate that Edwards tortiously interfered with its contractual relationship with GM, the Plaintiff has not suffered any damages. Edwards' Brief relies upon the fact that during discovery, the Plaintiff could not articulate any amount of damages caused by Edwards. However, during discovery, the Plaintiff's Satellite Agreement had not been terminated by GM. In fact, during this time, the Plaintiff's Satellite dealership was conducting normal business operations. Accordingly, there was no reason for the Plaintiff's representatives to testify that Edwards' [tortious] conduct resulted in the termination of its Satellite dealership when said termination had not yet occurred. Additionally, Edwards argues that because the Plaintiff's satellite was open at the time the trial court entered summary judgment, the Plaintiff's claims relating to the termination of its satellite dealership are premature. However, such an argument misstates the record. The record reflects that the trial court entered a final summary judgment in favor of Edwards Chevrolet on September 25, 2001 (C. 2640). It is undisputed that GM's termination of the Plaintiff's Satellite Agreement was effective September 12, 2001. Accordingly, the Plaintiff's damages based upon the termination of its satellite dealership had accrued before the trial court entered a final judgment dismissing Edwards Chevrolet, and therefore the Plaintiff's damage claim was not premature. The reference to page 2640 of the clerk's record is to an entry on the case action summary dated September 25, 2001. That case action summary stated: Serra Chevrolet, Inc. Rule 60 motion is heard, including rehearing on the original merits of the summary judgment. The merits of said motion remain such that even taking the evidence most favorably to Serra Chevrolet, Edwards Chevrolet remains entitled to judgment as a matter of law. In order that appeal times of all rulings made this day be simultaneous, Serra Chevrolet's motion is overruled. By Serra's own account, it had not presented any evidence of damages nor had its contract with GM been terminated at the time the trial court ruled on Edwards's summary-judgment motion on March 23, 2001. Thus, Serra had presented no substantial evidence in support of its claim against Edwards of damages that would create a genuine issue of fact. Moreover, in regard to the first issue presented by Serra, we note that in Edwards's February 7, 2000, motion for a summary judgment, Edwards asserted that no Serra representative could state how Serra had been damaged and that Serra's claim was premature because Serra's contract with GM had not been terminated. Accordingly, we conclude that the trial court's summary judgment for Edwards is due to be affirmed.