Court Opinion

ID: 9955279
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-03-27 22:06:37.085095+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:15:25.087795
License: Public Domain

STATE OF LOUISIANA
      COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT
CASCADE FUNDING MORTGAGE                          NO.   2023 CW 1326
TRUST HB7
VERSUS                                                  PAGE 1 OF 2
THE OPENED SUCCESSION OF
THOMAS W. KLEINPETER AND THE
OPENED SUCCESSION OF DOROTHY                      MARCH 25, 2024
B. KLEINPETER (A/K/A DOROTHY
NELL BURT, DOROTHY NELL
KLEINPETER)AND JOHN B.
KLEINPETER AND SUSANK.
FREMIN GRAVOIS

In Re:     John Kleinpeter in his capacity as Executor of the
           Estates of Dorothy and Burt Kleinpeter, applying for
           supervisory writs,    17th  Judicial District  Court,
           Parish of Lafourche, No. 133325.

BEFORE:   McCLENDON, WELCH, AND HESTER, JJ.

     WRIT GRANTED.      The trial court's November 6, 2023 ruling
overruling the     evidentiary objections      of defendants,     J'bhn
Kleinpeter, individually and as representative of the Succession
of Thomas W. Kleinpeter and Succession of Dorothy B. Kleinpeter
("Kleinpeters"),    and    granting   plaintiff's,  Cascade    Funding
Mortgage   Trust   HB7' s    ("Cascade"),   "Motion   to   Set   Aside
Abandonment" and, alternatively, "Motion to Amend Order" is
reversed.    In a motion to strike, and at the hearing on
Cascade's Motion to Set Aside Abandonment,           the Kleinpeters
objected to admission of an affidavit by Gina Feezer ("Feezer
Affidavit") and attachments thereto as inadmissible hearsay.
This court has explained that "[a] sworn affidavit is considered
hearsay and is, therefore, not competent evidence unless it is
specifically authorized by statute."         Reyer v. Mil ton Homes,
LLC, 2018-0580 (La. App. 1st Cir. 2/25/19), 272 So.3d 604, 609.
A hearing on a motion to set aside dismissal on the basis of
abandonment is a contradictory hearing wherein the plaintiff
must produce evidence as to why the order of dismissal shall not
be set aside.    Hancock Bank of Louisiana v. Robinson, 2020-0791
(La. App. 1st Cir. 3/11/21), 322 So.3d 307, 311; La. Code Civ.
P. art. 963.     There is no statutory authority permitting the
admission of an affidavit at a hearing on a motion to set aside
dismissal on the basis of abandonment.          Therefore, the trial
court abused its discretion by overruling the Kleinpeters'
objection and admitting the Feezer Affidavit and the attachments
thereto into evidence.      Furthermore, considering the absence of
admissible evidence in support of Cascade's motion to set aside
abandonment, we find that the trial court erred by granting
Cascade's motion and setting aside the dismissal.        See BAC Home
Loans Servicing, LP v. Louis, 2020-0717 (La. App. 1st Cir.
5/13/21), 326 So.3d 904, 909.       Accordingly, we deny the portion
of Cascade's motion seeking to set aside the trial court's
December 13, 2022 judgment of dismissal.       However, in its motion
to set aside dismissal, Cascade alternatively requested that the
trial court amend its December 13, 2022 judgment dismissing
Cascade's suit with prejudice to state that the dismissal is
                STATE OF LOUISIANA
     COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

                                               NO. 2023 CW 1326

                                                    PAGE 2 OF 2

without prejudice.      When a suit is dismissed under La. Code Civ.
P. art. 561 (A) ( 3) , the dismissal is without prejudice.   Johnson
v. Am. Bell Fed. Credit Union, 2014-2551 (La. 3/27/15), 164
So. 3d 182 (per curiam) .      Therefore, we grant the portion of
Cascade's motion seeking amendment of the December 13, 2022
judgment.   The December 13, 2022 judgment is amended to state
the dismissal is without prejudice.

                                 PMC
                                 JEW
                                 CHH

COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

    DEPUTY CLERK OF COURT
        FOR THE COURT