Opinion ID: 1179744
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: summary judgment was improper

Text: Summary judgment is appropriate only where it appears that there is no substantial controversy as to any material fact and that one party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Daugherty v. Farmers Coop. Ass'n, 689 P.2d 947 (Okla.1984); Crockett v. McKenzie, 867 P.2d 463 (Okla. 1994); First State Bank v. Diamond Plastics Corp., 891 P.2d 1262 (Okla.1995). On review, all inferences and conclusions to be drawn from the underlying facts will be reviewed in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion for summary judgment. Daugherty, supra; Redwine v. Baptist Medical Center of Oklahoma, Inc., 679 P.2d 1293 (Okla.1983). On motion for summary judgment, the trial court may not weigh the supporting documents and deposition testimony, but may only review such documents and testimony to determine whether there is a factual dispute. F.D.I.C. v. Moss, 831 P.2d 613 (Okla.1991). Where issues remain unresolved or in dispute, summary judgment is improper. Taylor v. Hynson, 856 P.2d 278 (Okla.1993). In ruling upon a summary judgment motion, the trial court cannot assume facts which are in dispute. If the trial court does assume facts as true which are disputed by the parties, then it puts the appellate court in the position of answering a hypothetical question. Answering that hypothetical question results in the issuing of an advisory opinion, something this Court does not do. Graham v. Hudgins, Thompson, Ball & Assoc., Inc., 540 P.2d 1161 (Okla.1975); Rogers v. Excise Bd. of Greer County, 701 P.2d 754 (Okla.1984). In order to grant summary judgment to the Defendants on the basis of Dancy's good faith in giving advice, the district court had to assume several facts to be true, to wit: (1) Dancy advised Post Oak that consent from 100 percent of the working interest owners was not necessary under the relevant JOA in order to shut-in the well and recomplete another well, (2) Dancy acted in good faith, (3) Dancy honestly believed that his advice and acts were well founded and in the best interest of his client, and (4) the unsettled question of law was one in which reasonable doubt may be entertained by well-informed lawyers. See Wabaunsee, supra . These facts were either in dispute or no evidence was given to support them. In addition, other material facts are in controversy. Still at issue is whether Dancy failed to obey his client's instruction to consult with Barnes on the legal issue of working interest owners' consent and to consult with Barnes and coordinate with Williams in regards to the litigation against working interest owners. Also, whether Dancy failed to inform his client that he had never tried a case to a jury or judge, and whether either of these instances caused injury to Post Oak constituting professional negligence are questions left unresolved by the summary judgment. Finally, we note the attorneys for the Defendants requested the trial court to assume that Dancy gave erroneous advice in good faith. By asking the trial court to make this assumption, the attorneys are telling the trial court to ignore the testimony of their client, Dancy. This is not a practice this Court should encourage. For the above and foregoing reasons, the opinion of the Court of Appeals is VACATED, the judgment of the district court is REVERSED, and this matter is REMANDED for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. ALMA WILSON, C.J., and HARGRAVE, OPALA and WATT, JJ., concur. KAUGER, V.C.J., and HODGES, LAVENDER and SUMMERS, JJ., concur in part, dissent in part.