Opinion ID: 1901993
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Controlling Principles of Law

Text: There are two fundamental controlling principles of law applicable in this case to resolve the issues presented. First, in cases of intentional or aggravated acts there is an extended liability and the rules of proximate causation are more liberally applied than would be justified in negligence cases. This is especially true in cases of fraud where proximate cause is often articulated as a requirement of reasonable reliance where but for the misrepresentation or concealment it is likely the plaintiff would not have acted in the transaction in question. In those instances where the defendant is found to have acted intentionally it is proper that a more remote causation result in liability than would be true in negligence cases. The policy to be followed is that liability should fall on the wrongdoer rather than to permit the victim to go uncompensated. Second, on motion for summary judgment, the initial burden of proving nonexistence of a genuine issue as to a material fact is on the movant. Until the moving party meets this burden the other party need not respond. Even if the movant meets his initial burden the opposing party is only required to produce some evidence in order to advance to trial.