Opinion ID: 2067730
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Counts I, III, and IV

Text: In the instant case, counts I, III, and IV of the appellants' petitions essentially alleged that the $10,000 was given to Miller in trust to be offered as restitution to the victim of the appellants' crimes. In support of his motion for summary judgment, Miller submitted an affidavit (exhibit 1) alleging that he and the appellants entered into an agreement whereby they would pay him an additional $10,000 after arraignment for conclusion of their case. Miller met the burden of proving his prima facie case in regards to counts I, III, and IV by introducing this affidavit into evidence. In other words, the affidavit, by itself, sustained the district court's necessary factual findings that Miller is entitled to judgment as a matter of law, should the evidence remain uncontroverted on those counts. See, Keefe v. Glasford's Enter., 248 Neb. 64, 532 N.W.2d 626 (1995); Medley v. Davis, 247 Neb. 611, 529 N.W.2d 58 (1995). In an attempt to controvert Miller's affidavit, Washa filed an affidavit on March 18, 1994, that alleged the $10,000 was given to Miller to hold in trust. Although Washa filed this affidavit with the clerk of the district court and it is contained within the transcript, he never offered it as evidence at the hearing on Miller's motion for summary judgment or had it preserved in, and made a part of, the bill of exceptions. The bill of exceptions does not contain an affidavit of Martin. In Snyder v. Nelson, 213 Neb. 605, 606-07, 331 N.W.2d 252, 253 (1983), this court held: In order to receive consideration on appeal, any affidavits used on a motion for summary judgment must have been offered in evidence in the trial court and preserved in and made a part of the bill of exceptions.... Included within the transcript is an affidavit ... and a copy of a petition.... However, neither of these items was received in evidence ... they do not form a part of the bill of exceptions, and under the rule cited above may not be considered on appeal. It has long been the rule that assignments of error requiring an examination of the evidence are not available on appeal in the absence of a bill of exceptions, the bill of exceptions being the only vehicle for bringing evidence to this court. This remains so even though certain evidence has been physically filed in the office of the clerk of the trial court. Likewise, in Blanco v. General Motors Acceptance Corp., 180 Neb. 365, 371, 143 N.W.2d 257, 261 (1966), this court held: The fact that an affidavit used as evidence in the district court was filed in the office of the clerk of the district court and made a part of the transcript is not important to a consideration and decision of an appeal of a cause to this court. If such an affidavit is not preserved in the bill of exceptions its existence or contents cannot be known by this court. See, also, Bulger v. McCourt, 179 Neb. 316, 138 N.W.2d 18 (1965); Peterson v. George, 168 Neb. 571, 96 N.W.2d 627 (1959). In the instant case, because the appellants' affidavit was not properly preserved in the bill of exceptions, the condition of the record requires us to hold that the appellants failed to contradict Miller's properly preserved affidavit in regards to counts I, III, and IV of the appellants' petitions. As a result, we conclude the trial court was correct in granting Miller's motion for summary judgment on those counts because the appellants failed to raise a genuine issue of material fact. See Raskey v. Michelin Tire Corp., 223 Neb. 520, 391 N.W.2d 123 (1986).