Court Opinion

ID: 9382845
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-03-28 20:05:39.738492+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:17:42.038039
License: Public Domain

STATE OF LOUISIANA

        COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT
                                                                                 I

ANGELLE       ROSE      SWAIN                                                                    NO.     2023 CW       0042

VERSUS

FLEETWASH,          INC.,         JAMES       TRAVIS
CORTEZ,       THE      ESTATE          OF CODY       JUDE
COVEL,      HAMBRON,             INC.,       EDWARD
SMITH,      ROBERT          L.    EMKEY,
PROGRESSIVE            INSURANCE             COMPANY,       ABC
INSURANCE         COMPANY,             DEF    INSURANCE
COMPANY,         XYZ    INSURANCE             COMPANY,
AND    DOES      1-50                                                                             MARCH        27,    2023

In Re:            Travelers              Property               Casualty               Company           of      America,
                  applying             for    supervisory writsr                       21st       Judicial          District
                  Court,          Parish of Tangipahoa,                        No.     20153370.

BEFORE:           GUIDRY,          C.J.,       PENZATO,          LANIER, WOLFE AND MILLER,                            JJ.

        WRIT        GRANTED.                   The        trial           court's            December           19,        2022
judgment,          which          granted       the " Motion               for        Summary          Judgment       on    the
Issue       of    Insurance             Coverage,"              filed          by     the        plaintiff,         Angelle
Swain,        is        reversed.                   Attached              to         Swain's        motion          was      an
uncertified             copy       of    an        insurance          policy           purportedly             issued        by
defendant,              Travelers              Property              Casual    Company                     of       America
     Travelers") .                In   its     opposition
                                                                          1y
                                                                      memorandum filed                    by    Travelers
with the         trial        court,         Travelers          objected to                 the uncertified                copy
of     the       insurance              policy.                Unsworn          dr         unverified           documents
submitted by                the    parties          in    support          of        and    in    opposition          to    the
motion       for       summary         judgment           have       no    evi~entiary value.                        Jackson
v.    St.     Mary          Parish        Government,                2021-1317 (             La.        App.    1st        Cir.
8/10/22),          349       So.3d       69,        76,    n.    5,       writ        denied,          2022-01380 (         La.
11/16/22),             349    So. 3d         1004.         Additionally,                   responses       to       requests
for     production                should        not        be    conside4ed.                      Lucas        v.     Maison
Insurance Co.,                2021-1401 ( La.               App.      1st Cir.              12/22/22), ---            So.3d-
       2022       WL    17843960, *             8.        We    find       thel trial             court        abused       its
discretion             in    considering             the       uncertifie~                 copy    of    the    insurance
policy,          and    Swain          failed        to     meet      her        b,urden          of    proof,        as    the
mover.           La.    Code       Civ.        P.    art.       966(0) ( 1)1.               Accordingly,             Swain's
 Motion       for       Summary Judgment                   on the         Issue        of    Insurance          Coverage"
is denied.

                                                               JMG
                                                               AHP
                                                               WIL
                                                               SMM

        Wolfe,          J.,       dissents           and    would         denytthe            writ.       The       criteria
set    forth        in Herlitz               Construction             Co. ,           nc.    v.        Hotel    Investors
of New       Iberia,             Inc.,       396     So.2d      878 (      La.        1981) (       per    curiam)          are
not met.

COURT    OF APPEAL,               FIRST CIRCUIT

            vi.,J)
       DEPUTY CLERK OF COURT
              FOR THE            COURT