Court Opinion

ID: 9534629
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:41:30.232762+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:30:10.609162
License: Public Domain

RUCKER, Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent from that portion of the majority opinion affirming the trial court's grant of summary judgment in favor of Officer Hammond on Crawford's tort claims. According to Crawford, Officer Hammond battered him by striking his hand with a flashlight. Relying primarily on the deposition of Dr. Murray, Crawford's treating physician, the majority concludes the evidence is undisputed and indicates that any injury to Crawford's hand could not have been caused by Officer Hammond striking Crawford during his arrest. I disagree. Dr. *624Murray did not state unequivocally that Officer Hammond did not strike or could not have stricken Crawford in the manner in which Crawford alleged. Rather, the Doctor merely testified that it was "difficult for [him] to imagine or understand" how Crawford could have sustained the injury of which Crawford was complaining. The Doctor's difficulty in understanding does not negate Crawford's allegation. At most his opinion only furthers the dispute of fact concerning that which was already in dispute, namely, whether Officer Hammond did or did not strike Crawford on the hand with a flashlight thereby causing Crawford to sustain injury. Summary disposition is inappropriate where a dispute of material fact exists. In my view, the trial court erred in granting Officer Hammond's motion on this issue.
As for the remainder of the issues, I concur in the result reached by the majority and for the reasons the majority expresses. Iam constrained however from full concurrence because I do not agree with the tone and tenor of various footnotes contained in the opinion. Although in some instances very subtle, a number of the footnotes are unfairly critical of the way in which Crawford's Brief of Appellant is organized, and the manner in which Crawford presents his arguments. Even if I were to agree for the sake of discussion that the Brief could have been more carefully edited, it still presents the complex issues in this case in a manner sufficient for appellate review. In sum, the majority's criticism is unwarranted and unnecessary. Regardless of the Brief, counsel for Appellant as well as counsel for Appellees should be commended for their very able presentations made at oral argument.
For the reasons expressed, I dissent to the grant of summary judgment in favor of Officer Hammond on Crawford's tort claims. In all other respects I concur in result.