Court Opinion

ID: 9581460
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:15:10.068189+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:36:58.082364
License: Public Domain

On Motion for Rehearing.
Southern raises Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U. S. — (106 SC 2548, 91 LE2d 265) (1986), as requiring a different result and argues that we must adopt the reasoning of the highest court of our land. Catrett, interpreting Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, holds that where the nonmoving party has the trial burden of proof, the party moving for summary judgment discharges its burden of initially showing the absence of any genuine issue of material fact by pointing out the absence of evidence to support the nonmoving party’s case. Thus, the movant need not support its motion with proof tending to negate the existence of the other party’s claim.
This is contrary to the Georgia cases which have construed what is now OCGA § 9-11-56 since its inception. Nevertheless, it is urged that we are compelled, or should be persuaded, to adopt the different theory of Catrett. This argument in part ignores the fundamental principles of federalism. The United States Supreme Court passed only upon Federal Rule 56. Even if OCGA § 9-11-56 contained identical language, which it does not, we are not required to construe it in like manner. We would be bound only if it found our rule constitutionally deficient. Absent such restraint, we are free to construe our statutory language as the General Assembly intended, keeping in mind the historical perspective of our laws.
We are not compelled and are not persuaded to change our traditional approach to summary judgment. This resolution is fortified by language in our rule not found in its federal counterpart. After reciting that judgment should be rendered if there is no genuine issue as *351to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law, this precautionary admonition follows: “but nothing in this Code section shall be construed as denying to any party the right to trial by jury where there are substantial issues of fact to be determined.” OCGA § 9-11-56 (c). Until the Georgia Supreme Court holds otherwise, the best way to preserve a party’s fundamental right to a jury trial is to require the moving party to negate by proof an essential element of the nonmoving party’s claim. See, e.g., Henderson v. Atlanta Transit System, 133 Ga. App. 354 (210 SE2d 845) (1974); Westinghouse Elec. Co. v. Williams, 173 Ga. App. 118, 122 (325 SE2d 460) (1984).
In a final effort, Southern contends that because this is a FELA case we must apply federal interpretation and thus Catrett. Southern espouses the well-established maxim that all matters of substantive law are controlled by the FELA as construed by the federal cases. It then relies upon cases holding that in actions brought under federal statutes the federal courts, and not state courts, establish the burden of proof. See Central Vermont R. Co. v. White, 238 U. S. 507 (35 SC 865, 59 LE 433) (1914). See also Garrett v. Moore-McCormack Co., 317 U. S. 239 (63 SC 246, 87 LE 239) (1942).
The cases cited by Southern treat the burden of proof on trial, but more precisely they deal with instances where a state court’s burden of proof or rule of evidence or practice tends to emasculate or limit the pervasive, beneficent effect of the FELA.
In Brown v. Western R. of Ala., 338 U. S. 294 (70 SC 105, 94 LE 100) (1949), the Supreme Court considered this court’s ruling which affirmed the trial court’s sustaining a demurrer in a FELA case and dismissing the claim. Brown v. Western R. of Ala., 77 Ga. App. 780 (49 SE2d 833) (1948). The Supreme Court prefaced its holding by observing that it had a duty to ascertain “whether petitioner has been denied a right of trial granted him by Congress.” Regardless of the state’s rules of practice and procedure, the “federal right cannot be defeated by the forms of local practice.” Id. at 296.
The policy reasons for federal supremacy were then set forth. “Strict local rules of pleading cannot be used to impose unnecessary burdens upon rights of recovery authorized by federal laws . . .” Thus, “the assertion of federal rights when plainly and reasonably made, is not to be defeated under the name of local practice.” Id. at 298-299. The Supreme Court then acknowledged that if it failed “to protect federally created rights from dismissal because of over-exacting local requirements for meticulous pleadings, desirable uniformity in adjudication of federally created rights could not be achieved.” Id. at 299.
The rationale focuses on state procedure which restricts a claimant’s rights under the FELA. The prohibition is as to the limitation *352or elimination of federally created rights. Dice v. Akron, Canton &c. R. Co., 342 U. S. 359, 361-2 (72 SC 312, 96 LE 398) (1951).
Decided February 20, 1987
Rehearing denied March 30, 1987
William R. Moseley, Jr., Donald F. Ruzicka, for appellant.
Edgar A. Neely, Jr., Eric J. Spitler, for appellee.
The converse is not true. A state procedure need not be as restrictive as the federal. An excellent exposition of this concept is found in New Jersey v. Portash, 440 U. S. 450, 454 (99 SC 1292, 59 LE2d 501) (1979), which recognized that the Supreme Court could review a federal question raised according to state procedures that would be considered inadequate to preserve the question under federal practice. See Lefkowitz v. Newsome, 420 U. S. 283, 288 (95 SC 886, 43 LE2d 196) (1975).
In sum, permitting a FELA claimant to reach a jury trial under our summary judgment rules does no violence to the principle that federal cases interpreting the substantive law control.

Motion for Rehearing en banc denied.