Opinion ID: 1632341
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Culpability of the offending party.

Text: In a case of classic spoliation, the offending party `purposefully' and `wrongfully' destroyed evidence `he knew was supportive of the interest of his opponent.' Vesta Fire, 901 So.2d at 96 (quoting May v. Moore, 424 So.2d 596, 603 (Ala.1982), and citing Alabama Power Co. v. Murray, 751 So.2d 494, 497 (Ala.1999)). We have approved of the sanction of the entry of a summary judgment against a plaintiff for spoliation of the evidence where all relevant evidence was destroyed and the plaintiff fully appreciated the significance of the evidence to the anticipated litigation. See Verchot, 812 So.2d 296, and Smedley, 614 So.2d 439. We have reversed a summary judgment based on spoliation of the evidence where the plaintiff did not act willfully in destroying the evidence. See Joyner v. B.P. Pest Control, Inc., 853 So.2d 991 (Ala.Civ.App.2002). Story argues that he was not culpable in that he believed he had to make the repairs to the house because he was told that if he did not do so, his house could collapse. [8] In addition, Story says, he had a duty to mitigate his damages. The EIFS defendants respond that they did not ask that Story refrain from making repairs, but only that he afford them an opportunity to inspect the house during the repairs. They argue that Story is to blame for their not having inspected the house during the repair process because Story should have notified, and did not notify, them that repairs were ongoing. The EIFS defendants assert that Story understood the importance of the evidence destroyed, as evidenced by the numerous photographs he took of the alleged damage and the repairs. They further argue that Story should be held to a higher duty to preserve evidence because he was represented by counsel when he proceeded with the repairs. There was evidence to support a conclusion by the trial court that Story was culpable in preventing the EIFS defendants from inspecting the house. Story's counsel had significant contacts with RAJ's counsel regarding scheduling an inspection date. Yet, until April 15, 2002, by which time the repairs had been completed, Story's counsel did not inform RAJ's counsel that repairs to the house were proceeding. TEC was unaware that repairs were proceeding until its expert arrived at Story's house to perform an inspection. Story did not respond to Birmingham Drywall and General Coatings' discovery requests until after they were six months overdue and the repairs had been completed. Birmingham Drywall and General Coatings learned from those responses that repairs had been made. Story apparently recognized the importance of the evidence; he took numerous photographs of the alleged damage, he says, in an effort to preserve the evidence. [9] Although there does not appear to be any direct evidence indicating that Story knew or believed that inspections by the EIFS defendants' experts of his house before the repairs were made and of the EIFS material would be favorable to the EIFS defendants, the trial court could have inferred that Story knew that those inspections would not be beneficial to his case or he would not have destroyed the EIFS material and evaded the inspections. Thus, an analysis of this factor does not indicate that the trial court exceeded its discretion in entering summary judgments against Story instead of imposing some less severe sanction.