Court Opinion

ID: 9543272
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 16:43:50.176301+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:10:04.244371
License: Public Domain

JENNINGS, Justice
(dissenting).
I cannot concur with the majority. An obligation is placed upon the party resisting a motion for summary judgment to present proof of the facts that raise a material issue. Hale v. Brown, 84 Ariz. 61, 323 P.2d 955. To determine whether an issue has been raised, all the moving papers filed by the defendant and the controverting papers filed by the plaintiff must be carefully examined.
The affidavit filed by- plaintiff did not raise the issue of negligence. It is elemen*28tary that an affidavit must set forth facts that would he admissible in evidence and show affirmatively that the affiant is competent to testify. Rule 56(e) Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure, 16 A.R.S. A lay person cannot testify as to the required standards for a professional man. Plaintiff’s assertion that the defendant was negligent certainly was not sufficient. On the other hand, the affidavits of two qualified attorneys stated that the conduct complained of, in their opinion, did not amount to negligence.
Nor is a mere allegation of negligence in a pleading when attacked by a motion for summary judgment sufficient to raise an issue. Perez v. Tomberlin, 86 Ariz. 66, 340 P.2d 982; Stevens v. Anderson, 75 Ariz. 331, 256 P.2d 712. See also Hale v. Brown, supra. For, in the Stevens case, this court stated:
“When motion for summary judgment is presented, it becomes the duty of the trial court to examine the entire record and determine whether there is any disputed material fact which if true could have a bearing on the kind of final judgment which under the law should be rendered. If it appears that competent evidence will be submitted tending to prove or disprove such material fact, the determination of the existence thereof must depend upon the evidence submitted at the trial. The court does not try issues of fact, but only whether the same are genuine and in good faith disputed. The mere general statement in a pleading, when attacked by such motion [for summary judgment] supported by proof of specific facts in the form of affidavit or deposition, places on the author of the statement [Sarti, in the instant case] the obligation to present something which will show that when the date of trial arrives, he will have some proof to support the allegation in the pleading. He cannot withhold this showing until the time of trial. He has not the right to say that he has made a negative or contradictory allegation and has therefore created a genuine issue and might have evidence to supr port it. * * * To permit such proceeding would defeat the very purpose of summary judgment practice. * * * This practice was established for protection against compelling one to submit to the delay, expense and harassment of litigation upon mere assertions, when it is shown that competent evidence cannot be presented to prove same.” 75 Ariz. at 333, 256 P.2d at 713, (Emphasis supplied.)
The majority opinion completely ignores the principles laid down in this case for after a very extensive search of the record I find no more than a mere allegation of negligence by the plaintiff. In support of such allegation plaintiff offered no evidence, but merely stated that he “ * * * verily believe[d] that at a trial of this cause he *29* * * [would] be able to assemble sufficient oral and documentary evidence to substantiate his contention * * Such a showing wholly fails to meet the requirements laid down in Stevens v. Anderson, supra. See also Perez v. Tomberlin, supra. The time to assemble such information was before the hearing on the motion. The plaintiff had the obligation to present something which would show that when the date of trial arrived he would have some proof to support the allegation in the pleading. He was given more than the usual time to do so. Since he failed to, summary judgment was proper.
The judgment of the trial court should be affirmed.