Opinion ID: 1782357
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Outstanding Discovery Requests

Text: Rule 56(f), Ala. R. Civ. P., states, in pertinent part: Should it appear from the affidavits of a party opposing the [summary-judgment] motion that the party cannot, for reasons stated, present by affidavit facts essential to justify the party's opposition, the court may deny the motion for summary judgment or may order a continuance to permit . . . discovery to be had. . . . As we noted in Scrushy v. Tucker, [Ms. 1050564, Aug. 25, 2006] ___ So.2d ___, ___ (Ala.2006), `[s]uch an affidavit should state with specificity why the opposing evidence is not presently available and should state, as specifically as possible, what future actions are contemplated to discover and present the opposing evidence.' (Citing Committee Comments to August 1, 1992, Amendment to Rule 56(c) and Rule 56(f).) As the rule indicates, whether to deny a motion for summary judgment or to grant a continuance to allow discovery to proceed is discretionary with the trial court. However, the scope of the trial court's discretion is narrow, not broad. This Court has consistently held that the pendency of outstanding discovery alone is not sufficient to bar a summary judgment. See Reeves v. Porter, 521 So.2d 963, 965 (Ala.1988); Hope v. Brannan, 557 So.2d 1208, 1212 (Ala.1989). Furthermore, if the party opposing the motion can show that the outstanding discovery is crucial to that party's ability to oppose a summary-judgment motion, then the trial court should not enter the summary judgment until the outstanding discovery is completed. McCullar v. Universal Underwriters Life Ins. Co., 687 So.2d 156, 161 (Ala.1996) (noting that a nonmovant at summary-judgment stage has the burden of proving how information from [documents sought in discovery] is crucial to her case). Therefore, parties opposing a summary judgment bear a more stringent burden than merely showing that the outstanding discovery may be crucial to their case. A mere conclusory affidavit by the party opposing the summary-judgment motion will not support a claim that a summary judgment was improperly granted in light of pending discovery. Stallworth v. AmSouth Bank, 709 So.2d 458, 469 (Ala.1997). In Stallworth, the conclusory affidavit fail[ed] . . . to identify what crucial evidence pertaining to his . . . claim discovery might disclose. Id. In Wallace v. Brownell Pontiac-GMC Co., 703 F.2d 525 (11th Cir.1983), the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit annunciated a rule regarding the specificity of an affidavit, based on Rule 56(f), Fed.R.Civ.P., which is identical to our Rule 56(f). In Wallace, the Eleventh Circuit stated that the affiant seeking relief under Rule 56(f) `may not simply rely on vague assertions that additional discovery will produce the needed, but unspecified, facts,' but rather he must specifically demonstrate `how postponement of a ruling on the motion will enable him, by discovery or other means, to rebut the movant's showing of the absence of a genuine issue of [material] fact.' 703 F.2d at 527 (quoting SEC v. Spence & Green Chem. Co., 612 F.2d 896, 901 (5th Cir.1980) (quoting in turn Willmar Poultry Co. v. Morton-Norwich Prods., Inc., 520 F.2d 289, 297 (8th Cir.1975))). Therefore, to be considered sufficient and not merely conclusory, an affidavit in support of a continuance under Rule 56(f) must specifically state what items of outstanding discovery are crucial and why that discovery is essential to aid the nonmoving party in opposing the pending motion for a summary judgment. The trial court held its first hearing on the motions for a summary judgment on May 14, 2004. After the hearing, the parties were given until December 28, 2004, to conduct further discovery, and the trial court ordered the parties to submit briefs. Attached to the Fogartys' post-hearing brief was an affidavit from Charles Fogarty that elaborated on facts supplied in an affidavit by Jane Fogarty that was filed with the Fogartys' pre-hearing brief in opposition to the summary-judgment motions. Both Jane Fogarty's and Charles Fogarty's affidavits merely detailed facts surrounding the alleged fraud. Neither affidavit made any mention of the need to complete discovery before the summary-judgment motions could be decided. It was not until October 15, 2004, almost two and one-half months before the court's December 28, 2004, deadline for completion of discovery, that the Fogartys' attorney filed an affidavit pursuant to Rule 56(f). On February 15, 2005, the trial court again heard arguments on the summary-judgment motions. The affidavit the Fogartys filed on October 15, 2004, stated, in pertinent part: 10. It will be necessary to receive written discovery responses from all Defendants, to solve any discovery issues created by objections or inadequate production, to receive documentation from third parties, as well as to take the depositions of all Defendants and the above mentioned third parties in order for [the Fogartys] to oppose the pending motions for partial summary judgment. 11. The Defendants would have this Court hear arguments on their various motions for partial summary judgment after concluding their discovery, but before [the Fogartys] have had the benefit of receiving any of Defendants' discovery responses, or similarly taking the depositions of Defendants. For those reasons, [the Fogartys] cannot present further evidence in opposition to the various motions for partial summary judgment until said discovery is conducted, such that those motions for summary judgment should be denied or alternatively continued until completion of written discovery, and the depositions of Defendants. . . .  This affidavit does not specifically state what items of outstanding discovery are crucial to the Fogartys' opposition, nor does it state why that discovery was essential to aid the Fogartys in opposing the pending summary-judgment motions. Because it does not meet these threshold requirements, it is conclusory. Therefore, the trial court did not exceed its discretion in refusing to order a continuance and in granting the summary-judgment motions.