Opinion ID: 2631159
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: refusal to address the summary judgment issue

Text: ¶ 20 On certiorari, Brown argues that the court of appeals erred when it refused to address the merits of the trial court's grant of summary judgment and claimed Brown had not adequately briefed the issue in her initial brief. Brown claims that the merits of the summary judgment, in particular, the applicability of Schnuphase v. Storehouse Markets, 918 P.2d 476 (Utah 1996), were fully briefed by both parties and properly before the court for review. ¶ 21 The Utah Rules of Appellate Procedure require that an appellant's opening brief include [a] statement of the issues presented for review, Utah R.App.P. 24(a)(5), and arguments containing the contentions and reasons for each issue presented, see id. 24(a)(9). In addition, the reply brief of an appellant shall be limited to answering any new matter set forth in the opposing brief. Id. 24(c). ¶ 22 The appellee's brief, or opposing brief, must include the same elements as the appellant's brief. See id. 24(b). However, an appellee may omit the statement of issues if the appellee is satisfied with the statement provided by the appellant. Nevertheless, the brief of the appellee must contain the contentions and reasons of the appellee with respect to the issues presented in the opposing brief. See id. 24(a)(9), (b). ¶ 23 Generally, issues raised by an appellant in the reply brief that were not presented in the opening brief are considered waived and will not be considered by the appellate court. See Trail Mountain Coal Co. v. Utah Div. of State Lands & Forestry, 921 P.2d 1365, 1371 n. 11 (Utah 1996); State v. Brown, 853 P.2d 851, 854 n. 1 (Utah 1992); 5 Am.Jur.2d Appellate Review § 560 (1995); 4 C.J.S. Appeal and Error § 619 (1993). This is to prevent the resulting unfairness to the respondent if an argument or issue was first raised in the reply brief and the respondent had no opportunity to respond. See Brown, 853 P.2d at 854 n. 1; 5 Am.Jur.2d Appellate Review § 560. ¶ 24 However, fairness to the respondent is not a concern if it is the respondent who first raises an issue in the opposing brief. In fact, our appellate rules expressly direct an appellant to answer[] any new matter set forth in the opposing brief. Utah R.App.P. 24(c). Therefore, if an appellant responds in the reply brief to a new issue raised by the appellee in its opposing brief, the issue is not waived. This is also generally the rule with other courts that have considered this issue. See, e.g., Pachla v. Saunders Sys., Inc., 899 F.2d 496, 502 (6th Cir.1990) (holding that issue first raised in appellee's brief and then answered in appellant's reply brief was properly raised for review); North v. Madison Area Ass'n for Retarded Citizens-Developmental Ctrs. Corp., 844 F.2d 401, 405 n. 6 (7th Cir.1988) (holding that arguments first raised in appellant's reply brief were in answer to those raised in appellee's brief, and therefore refusing to strike those arguments); E.E.O.C. v. Union Bank, 408 F.2d 867, 868 (9th Cir. 1968) (noting that appellant had option to answer new issue raised in appellee's response brief in reply brief); Carman v. H.B. Alvord, 31 Cal.3d 318, 182 Cal.Rptr. 506, 644 P.2d 192, 195 (1982) (ruling on issue raised for first time in responsive brief and then addressed in plaintiff's reply brief); Oliveira v. Amoco Oil Co., 311 Ill.App.3d 886, 244 Ill.Dec. 455, 726 N.E.2d 51, 56 (2000) (refusing to strike arguments of appellant's reply brief that were in response to arguments first raised in appellee's brief); Rome v. Commonwealth Edison Co., 81 Ill.App.3d 776, 36 Ill.Dec. 894, 401 N.E.2d 1032, 1034-35 (1980) (noting that issue first addressed in appellee's brief and then answered by appellant in reply brief was not waived, but would have been if not responded to in reply brief); City of Wichita v. McDonald's Corp., 266 Kan. 708, 971 P.2d 1189, 1200 (1999) (holding that reply brief is appropriate forum to rebut new material raised in appellee's brief); Brashear v. Baker Packers, 118 N.M. 581, 883 P.2d 1278, 1280 (1994) (holding that if `an appellee raises an argument not addressed by the appellant in its opening brief, the appellant may reply' (citation omitted)); Newsome v. North Carolina State Bd. of Elections, 105 N.C.App. 499, 415 S.E.2d 201, 203-04 (1992) (denying appellees' motion to dismiss appellants' reply brief because new issues addressed in appellants' reply brief were in response to issues raised in appellees' briefs); The Doctors' Co. v. The Ins. Corp. of Am., 864 P.2d 1018, 1028 (Wyo.1993) (holding issue first addressed in appellant's reply brief was not waived because it was in response to argument first presented in appellee's brief); see also 5 Am.Jur.2d Appellate Review § 559 (Should the appellee raise an argument in his or her brief that the appellant did not address in his or her opening brief, however, the appellant may reply.); 4 C.J.S. Appeal and Error § 619 (A point, even though not raised in the original brief, may nevertheless be considered when made in the reply brief in answer to respondent's argument.); 2A Federal Procedure, Lawyer's Edition § 3:640, at 307-08 (1994) (stating that where an appellee raises an argument not addressed by the appellant in its opening brief, the appellant may reply); 20A James Wm. Moore, Moore's Federal Practice § 328.22 (Matthew Bender 3d ed.2000) (stating that appellant may respond to arguments raised for the first time in the appellee's brief). ¶ 25 In the instant case, when Brown appealed to the court of appeals she did not raise the issue of whether the trial court erred in granting summary judgment based on the merits of the summary judgment motion. Instead, she argued that the trial court erred in granting summary judgment in light of her pending discovery motions and before adequate discovery could take place. Chick-Fil-A responded in its opposing brief by raising the issue that summary judgment was properly granted because its food sampling was not an inherently dangerous activity. Then, in accordance with rule 24(c) of the Utah Rules of Appellate Procedure, Brown answered the new matter that was set forth in Chick-Fil-A's opposing brief. Therefore, the court of appeals should have considered Brown's argument that Schnuphase was not applicable but that Canfield v. Albertsons, Inc., 841 P.2d 1224 (Utah Ct.App.1992), was controlling. ¶ 26 Because on certiorari we do not review the decision of the trial court, but only that of the court of appeals, we remand to the court of appeals to review the trial court's decision to grant summary judgment on the basis of Schnuphase. [5]