Opinion ID: 2109153
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Riemers' Claims Against Peters-Riemers

Text: [¶ 8] Riemers argues his claims against Peters-Riemers for emotional and physical abuse are not barred by res judicata or collateral estoppel. He contends these issues against Peters-Riemers were not addressed because Judge Backes flipped through the pleadings and failed to properly review them. He also argues he did not admit to assaulting Peters-Riemers when he pled guilty to the criminal charge, but submitted an Alford plea. We disagree. [¶ 9] Courts bar relitigation of claims and issues to promote the finality of judgments, which increases certainty, discourages multiple litigation, wards off wasteful delay and expense, and conserves judicial resources. Riemers, 2004 ND 109, ¶ 12, 680 N.W.2d 280 (quoting Ohio Cas. Ins. Co. v. Clark, 1998 ND 153, ¶ 23, 583 N.W.2d 377). [C]ollateral estoppel, or issue preclusion, generally forecloses the relitigation in a second action based on a different claim, of particular issues of either fact or law which were, or by logical and necessary implication must have been, litigated and determined in the prior suit. Riemers, 2004 ND 109, ¶ 12, 680 N.W.2d 280 (quoting Reed v. University of N.D., 1999 ND 25, ¶ 9, 589 N.W.2d 880 (quotation omitted)). An issue must satisfy four tests before collateral estoppel will bar relitigation of that issue in a new proceeding: (1) Was the issue decided in the prior adjudication identical to the one presented in the action in question?; (2) Was there a final judgment on the merits?; (3) Was the party against whom the plea is asserted a party or in privity with a party to the prior adjudication?; and (4) Was the party against whom the plea is asserted given a fair opportunity to be heard on the issue? Hofsommer v. Hofsommer Excavating, Inc., 488 N.W.2d 380, 384 (N.D.1992). [¶ 10] In Riemers and Peters-Riemers' divorce proceedings, Riemers alleged that Peters-Riemers had committed domestic violence against him and that his actions were in self-defense. In the trial court's Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, dated May 4, 2001, it specifically found: 10. In the fall of 1996, [Peters-Riemers] became pregnant with the parties' son. A few months later, in February of 1997, [Peters-Riemers] learned of [Riemers'] physical relationship with [another woman]. A physical argument erupted. During the course of such incident, [Riemers] slapped and punched [Peters-Riemers]. He also kicked her in the stomach. Consequently, [Peters-Riemers] suffered vaginal bleeding and obtained medical treatment. .... 15. In October of 1999, [Peters-Riemers] heard Johnathan crying outside. She walked out to discover that Johnathan had fallen down the stairs and had hurt himself. [Riemers] was standing a few yards away from Johnathan, talking on his phone instead of tending to his son. [Peters-Riemers] made an angry comment to [Riemers] about his priorities then went back inside. [Riemers] than came into the kitchen and slapped [Peters-Riemers] in the face. 16. During the marriage, [Riemers] kept pornographic magazines and videos in the marital residence, sometimes in places where Johnathan would encounter them. In January of 2000, [Peters-Riemers] destroyed one of [Riemers'] pornographic videos. When [Riemers] discovered his destroyed tape, he came up behind [Peters-Riemers] as she was making a bed and kicked her in the back. 17. On March 4, 2000, after a verbal argument, [Peters-Riemers] attempted to leave the marital residence with the parties' son, Johnathan. [Riemers] refused to allow her to leave with Johnathan, but attempted to force her out of her home alone. He pinned her left arm behind her back as she held Johnathan tight in her other arm. [Peters-Riemers] escaped long enough to call 911, but [Riemers] hung up the phone. He then punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground. He broke a finger in the process. [Peters-Riemers] was later diagnosed with a fractured bone in her face. 18. On March 6, 2000, [Peters-Riemers] obtained a Temporary Protection Order against [Riemers]. On March 7, 2000, [Riemers] was charged with felony assault as a result of striking [Peters-Riemers]. A No Contact Order issued as a condition of [Riemers'] Pretrial Release. After a fully contested hearing, [a]n Adult Abuse Protection Order issued against [Riemers] on March 14, 2000. At all of his appearances in the Protection Order proceeding, and at all times during this divorce, [Riemers] maintained that his striking [Peters-Riemers] on March 4, 2000 was in self-defense. Nevertheless, on October 6, 2000, [Riemers] pled guilty to the reduced charge of misdemeanor assault, admitting that a factual basis existed for that plea. The trial court concluded: 19. [Riemers] committed at least one act of domestic violence which resulted in serious bodily injury to [Peters-Riemers]. During their relationship, there was a pattern of [Riemers] inflicting domestic violence upon [Peters-Riemers]. On occasion, [Peters-Riemers] may have struck, hit or scratched [Riemers]. However, her actions were largely in self-defense and were of a far less serious nature and degree than [Riemers'] domestic violence. We, therefore, have a finding by the trial court that Riemers committed domestic violence against Peters-Riemers, but that Peters-Riemers did not commit domestic violence against Riemers. In Peters-Riemers, 2002 ND 72, ¶ 31, 644 N.W.2d 197, cert. denied, 537 U.S. 1195, 123 S.Ct. 1252, 154 L.Ed.2d 1031 (2003), we affirmed the judgment of divorce, including the trial court's findings about whether Peters-Riemers committed domestic abuse against Riemers. In another suit, Riemers alleged he was falsely arrested for assault and his former wife Peters-Riemers should have been, but was not arrested. See Riemers, 2004 ND 109, ¶ 9, 680 N.W.2d 280. We concluded on appeal from that judgment that Riemers was collaterally estopped from relitigating those issues because they were addressed in the divorce judgment, which we had affirmed. Id. at ¶ 13. [¶ 11] Riemers' allegations of Peters-Riemers' domestic abuse were also addressed when Riemers applied for protection orders against Peters-Riemers in both Traill and Grand Forks Counties. The Traill County District Court denied his application on March 7, 2000. The Grand Forks District Court also denied his August 31, 2000, application for a protection order against Peters-Riemers, which Riemers appealed. Flattum-Riemers, 2001 ND 121, 630 N.W.2d 71. A petition for domestic abuse is a civil action in which a party must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that an alleged violent household member inflicted domestic violence as it is defined in N.D.C.C. § 14-07-01(2) upon the petitioner or another household member. N.D.C.C. § 14-07-02. Section 14-07-01(2), N.D.C.C., defines domestic violence as: Domestic violence includes physical harm, bodily injury, sexual activity compelled by physical force, assault, or the infliction of fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury, sexual activity compelled by physical force, or assault, not committed in self-defense, on the complaining family or household members. In Riemers' petition for protective relief against Peters-Riemers to the Grand Forks district court, he alleged among other things that: [I]n March 1997, Peters-Riemers charged after me several times with kitchen knives and attempted to kill him while they lived together in Grand Forks. He stated police were summoned, Peters-Riemers was taken to a hospital, and although both were charged with offenses, those charges were dropped [a]t our mutual insistence. Flattum-Riemers also alleged Peters-Riemers fractured several of his ribs during the summer of 1999, and in December 1999, she threatened him with a loaded revolver in his Buxton home. Police were again summoned, but no arrests were made. Flattum-Riemers also related a verbal and physical altercation on March 4, 2000, when Peters-Riemers attempted to leave the residence with the couple's son. Flattum-Riemers was arrested and charged with felony assault after that incident. According to Flattum-Riemers, the final incidents occurred during the summer of 2000, when she contacted him, berated him, and threatened to have him arrested for violating the domestic violence protection order. Flattum-Riemers, 2001 ND 121, ¶ 3, 630 N.W.2d 71. A judicial referee denied and dismissed his petition because Riemers had not satisfied his burden to prove Peters-Riemers inflicted domestic violence upon Riemers. Riemers requested review by the Grand Forks District Court, which affirmed the judicial referee's decision. [¶ 12] In Riemers' complaint in this case, he describes the abuse he alleges occurred: That [Peters-Riemers] had a long history since 1997 of physically and mentally abusing Plaintiff including such things as threatening to kill him with a knife & gun; putting a loaded gun to his head; stopping their car in front of a freight train; hitting, scratching and tearing off his [clothes]; threatening to have him falsely arrested for rape; destroying or taking his personal property; falsely accusing him of pornography addiction, adultery and domestic abuse.... [¶ 13] We have carefully examined each issue of abuse now raised by Riemers against Peters-Riemers, and we conclude that each identical issue was raised and decided against Riemers and in favor of Peters-Riemers in a prior proceeding. [¶ 14] For collateral estoppel to apply, only parties or their privies may take advantage of or be bound by the former judgment. Hofsommer, 488 N.W.2d at 384. Riemers and Peters-Riemers were both parties to all proceedings relevant to Riemers' current appeal; therefore, either may take advantage or be bound by the prior proceedings. [¶ 15] Finally, Riemers had a fair opportunity to be heard on these issues in the divorce proceedings and two protection order proceedings. He had multiple opportunities to present testimony, evidence, and arguments regarding abuse by Peters-Riemers. We affirmed the trial court's conclusion in the divorce proceedings that Riemers committed domestic violence and that Peters-Riemers' actions were largely in self-defense and not domestic abuse. A final judgment on the merits, in the form of an amended divorce judgment and two orders denying Riemers a protection order, decide all issues related to issues of abuse in this appeal. Peters-Riemers, 2002 ND 72, 644 N.W.2d 197, cert. denied, 537 U.S. 1195, 123 S.Ct. 1252, 154 L.Ed.2d 1031 (2003); Flattum-Riemers, 2001 ND 121, 630 N.W.2d 71. [¶ 16] In addition, we recently addressed the issue of domestic abuse in Peters-Riemers and Riemers' relationship again in Riemers, 2004 ND 109, 680 N.W.2d 280. In that case, Riemers sued the officials involved in his arrest and prosecution for assaulting Peters-Riemers. We concluded, In earlier litigation, the trial court had determined Riemers committed domestic violence and Peters-Riemers did not. In Peters-Riemers v. Riemers, 2002 ND 72, 644 N.W.2d 197, cert. denied, 537 U.S. 1195, 123 S.Ct. 1252, 154 L.Ed.2d 1031 (2003), we affirmed a judgment dissolving the marriage of Riemers and Peters-Riemers. Riemers' domestic violence and Peters-Riemers' alleged domestic violence were addressed at length in the opinion. The trial court made findings about Riemers committing domestic violence against Jenese Peters-Riemers, in connection with the incident on March 4, 2000, which we held were supported by the evidence. Id. at ¶ 15, 644 N.W.2d 197. Riemers, 2004 ND 109, ¶ 13, 680 N.W.2d 280. [¶ 17] Therefore, we conclude the issues Riemers raises against Peters-Riemers for abuse are barred by collateral estoppel and the trial court did not err in dismissing his claims.
[¶ 18] Riemers argues the trial court erred in granting summary judgment because he is entitled to a remedy under N.D. Const. art. I, § 9 for the loss of consortium and the mental torture suffered by Peters-Riemers' alleged denial of visitation with his son. He also argues he is entitled to recovery for intentional infliction of emotional distress resulting from Peters-Riemers depriving him of a relationship with his son through attempts to alienate him from Riemers. We disagree. [¶ 19] Except as otherwise provided in section 14-14.1-15, a court of this state which has made a child custody determination consistent with section 14-14.1-12 or 14-14.1-14 has exclusive, continuing jurisdiction over the determination.... N.D.C.C. § 14-14.1-13. Therefore, Riemers must bring his complaints to the court that made the custody and visitation determination regarding his son. In addition, Riemers has not cited any case law to support his constitutional claim, nor has he cited any case law to support his claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress due to lack of visitation. His affidavits also do not set forth facts that would support a cause of action for intentional infliction of emotional distress. See Muchow v. Lindblad, 435 N.W.2d 918, 923-24 (N.D.1989) (holding a party must have competent evidence of (1) extreme and outrageous conduct that is (2) intentional or reckless and that causes (3) severe emotional distress to support a claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress). [¶ 20] We conclude the trial court did not err when it concluded that Riemers cannot attack the custody and visitation judgment in this action and that Riemers has failed to support his claim with competent evidence of the tort of intentional infliction of emotional distress.