Jimmie Holden v. Edwards Specialties, Inc.

Annotate this Case
Download PDF
REL: 12/18/2009 Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o formal r e v i s i o n b e f o r e p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e advance s h e e t s o f Southern R e p o r t e r . R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e R e p o r t e r o f D e c i s i o n s , Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r A v e n u e , M o n t g o m e r y , A l a b a m a 3 6 1 0 4 - 3 7 4 1 ((334) 2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f a n y t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may b e made b e f o r e t h e o p i n i o n i s p r i n t e d i n Southern R e p o r t e r . ALABAMA COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 2080947 Jimmie Holden v. Edwards S p e c i a l t i e s , Inc. Appeal from Madison C i r c u i t (CV-08-572) Court THOMPSON, P r e s i d i n g J u d g e . Jimmie Holden appeals the Madison Inc. ("ESI"). Circuit Court f r o m a summary j u d g m e n t e n t e r e d b y i n favor o f Edwards Specialties, F o r t h e r e a s o n s s t a t e d h e r e i n , we r e v e r s e t h e summary j u d g m e n t a n d remand t h e c a u s e . 2080947 Since 1993, Holden p r o p e r t y t h a t he owns. corporate l i m i t s has resided The p r o p e r t y i n Madison County on i s l o c a t e d outside the of the C i t y of Madison. I n 2003, E S I b e g a n d e v e l o p i n g as a s u b d i v i s i o n c e r t a i n r e a l p r o p e r t y i t owned i n the C i t y of Madison. Parke. As developed part road T h i s d e v e l o p m e n t was known as W i n d s o r of t h i s curbs development, and other water-detention pond Windsor Parke. Windsor Parke Holden's by roads, improvements, water Parke and p i p e s Parke is and c o l l e c t e d into two flows through alleged increased through a single pipe corner of Windsor into a ditch that Holden's p r o p e r t y . On A p r i l He boundary o f Windsor The d e t e n t i o n p o n d a t t h e s o u t h e a s t e j e c t s water of i n Windsor d e t e n t i o n ponds l o c a t e d on t h e s o u t h e r n Parke. corner a i s a t a higher e l e v a t i o n than Surface curbs, and including l o c a t e d at the southeastern property. channeled ESI constructed 15, 2008, H o l d e n that the ESI's quantity filed development and an a c t i o n a g a i n s t E S I . of velocity Windsor of water Parke had that was c h a n n e l e d o n t o h i s p r o p e r t y , c a u s i n g f l o o d i n g on h i s p r o p e r t y . He a l l e g e d t h a t t h e i n c r e a s e d f l o w o f w a t e r o n t o h i s p r o p e r t y had c a u s e d damage t o h i s h o u s e , i n c l u d i n g damage t o t h e f l o o r 2 2080947 i n s u l a t i o n , t h e HVAC d u c t w o r k , t h e f l o o r r e g i s t e r s , t h e c r a w l space, and t h e f l o o r structure. f l o o d i n g had d e s t r o y e d caused h i s p r o p e r t y house. ESI complaint, ESI's water that the t o erode, and had r e s u l t e d i n mold i n h i s t o remedy i t . development channeled In h i s t h i r d c o n s t i t u t e d wantonness. he prevent was entitled the channeling filed an answer a l l e g a t i o n s o f Holden's On January judgment. matter In the f i r s t count of h i s Holden a l l e g e d t h a t t h e f l o o d i n g o f h i s p r o p e r t y by t o be thereto. ESI alleged h i s c e n t r a l - a i r - c o n d i t i o n i n g u n i t , had ESI c o n s t i t u t e d a t r e s p a s s . that also H o l d e n a l l e g e d t h a t t h e f l o o d i n g was o n g o i n g a n d t h a t had r e f u s e d that He I n t h e s e c o n d c o u n t , he a l l e g e d o f Windsor onto Parke had caused h i s property, t o an damage actions count, Holden injunction requiring of surface water in i t denied which asserted that ESI onto h i s property. the material complaint. 15, 2009, E S I f i l e d a motion I t argued t h a t Holden's t r e s p a s s o f law because causing that ESI's c o u n t , he a s s e r t e d In h i s f i n a l surface the evidence f o r a summary c l a i m f a i l e d as a demonstrated volume and v e l o c i t y o f s u r f a c e w a t e r d i s c h a r g e d that the from t h e area on w h i c h W i n d s o r P a r k e was d e v e l o p e d a c t u a l l y d e c r e a s e d a f t e r 3 2080947 the development of Windsor Parke. ESI argued that this decrease i n d i c a t e d t h a t i t had implemented i t s d r a i n a g e system in a reasonable and negated Holden's lawful manner and, moreover, that i t cause o f a c t i o n f o r c h a n n e l i n g s u r f a c e water onto h i s p r o p e r t y . ESI argued t h a t , because Holden's trespass claim failed, Finally, h i s wantonness c l a i m f a i l e d as w e l l . E S I a r g u e d t h a t H o l d e n was n o t e n t i t l e d t o t h e i n j u n c t i o n he sought. ESI attached to i t s brief i n support judgment m o t i o n , among o t h e r t h i n g s , Hayden licensed Smith, a Smith indicated property issue, had at associated with the a f f i d a v i t engineer. credentials, that reviewed t h e development o f i t s summary- After he had documents of Windsor recounting h i s inspected and Windsor detention Parke. pond located He opined that the the materials Parke, prepared drainage c a l c u l a t i o n s p e r t a i n i n g to the of of B i l l y and h a d development postdevelopment a t the southeast corner of Windsor P a r k e h a d a c t u a l l y r e d u c e d t h e amount o f p e a k r u n o f f through t h e c u l v e r t l o c a t e d on H o l d e n ' s p r o p e r t y f r o m 6 1 . 3 c u b i c p e r s e c o n d t o 58.2 c u b i c f e e t p e r s e c o n d . to i t s brief e x c e r p t s from Holden's 4 feet ESI a l s o a t t a c h e d deposition i n which he 2080947 t e s t i f i e d t h a t w a t e r h a d e n t e r e d t h e c r a w l space o f h i s house on one o r two o c c a s i o n s b e f o r e t h e development o f Windsor Parke. On F e b r u a r y 23, 2009, H o l d e n summary-judgment motion filed i n which he a response argued t o ESI's that Windsor Parke's drainage system i n t e r f e r e d w i t h h i s possessory r i g h t s with regard property t o h i s p r o p e r t y "by completely a n d home during heavy rains," s u b s t a n t i a l damage t o h i s p r o p e r t y . flooding h i s which had caused To h i s r e s p o n s e , Holden a t t a c h e d a d d i t i o n a l e x c e r p t s f r o m h i s d e p o s i t i o n i n w h i c h he had testified listed t h a t he f i r s t i n h i s complaint construction began e x p e r i e n c i n g immediately of the detention pond at issue. attached t o h i s response the a f f i d a v i t resided property. on the property after immediately t h e problems ESI completed Holden o f B r y a n t M a s t i n , who north of Holden's Among o t h e r t h i n g s , M a s t i n s t a t e d : "When W i n d s o r P a r k [ e ] was b u i l t , a d r a i n a g e s y s t e m was b u i l t t h a t e m p t i e d w a t e r f r o m a d e t e n t i o n p o n d i n t o an e x i s t i n g d i t c h t h a t r a n b e t w e e n my p r o p e r t y and [ H o l d e n ] ' s p r o p e r t y . When i t r a i n s h e a v i l y , I have o b s e r v e d t h e d i t c h o v e r f l o w a n d w a t e r f l o o d i n g my f r o n t a n d b a c k y a r d as w e l l a s [ H o l d e n ] ' s f r o n t and b a c k y a r d s a n d o t h e r s u r r o u n d i n g n e i g h b o r s . W i n d s o r P a r k [ e ] was b u i l t a t a h i g h e r l e v e l t h a n o u r p r o p e r t y which has f u r t h e r caused water t o e n t e r onto our l a n d . Windsor P a r k [ e ] c o n t a i n s a d e t e n t i o n 5 also 2080947 pond t h a t g a t h e r s water from t h e Windsor P a r k [ e ] subdivision. The p o n d d r a i n s i n t o t h e d i t c h t h a t runs between our p r o p e r t i e s . T h i s drainage system was d e v e l o p e d by [ E S I ] . I have o b s e r v e d t h e w a t e r from the d e t e n t i o n pond d r a i n i n t o the d i t c h . When i t r a i n s h e a v i l y , t o o much w a t e r f l o w s f r o m t h e d e t e n t i o n p o n d i n t o t h e d i t c h , and t h e d i t c h c a n n o t m a i n t a i n t h e amount o f w a t e r f l o w i n g from the d e t e n t i o n pond. B a s i c a l l y , the d i t c h i s too small f o r t h e amount o f w a t e r f l o w i n g f r o m t h e d e t e n t i o n p o n d , o r t h e amount o f w a t e r p e r m i t t e d t o f l o w f r o m t h e d e t e n t i o n p o n d i n t o t h e d i t c h i s t o o much f o r the d i t c h t o handle. When t h e w a t e r o v e r f l o w s , my p r o p e r t y i s f l o o d e d i n b o t h t h e f r o n t and b a c k yards. I c a n n o t e v e n come o u t o f my h o u s e . I have b r o u g h t g r a v e l i n t o f i l l my y a r d b u t t h e w a t e r washed i t away. The w a t e r r i s e s h i g h enough on my p r o p e r t y t o f l o o d t h e f l o o r b o a r d s o f my v e h i c l e s . T h i s d i d not occur p r i o r t o the Windsor P a r k [ e ] subdivision. [Holden]'s property floods s i m i l a r to my p r o p e r t y . However, [ H o l d e n ] ' s p r o p e r t y f l o o d s w o r s e t h a n mine b e c a u s e [ H o l d e n ] ' s p r o p e r t y i s a t the bottom of the i n c l i n e i n t o Windsor P a r k [ e ] . The r u n - o f f from the s u b d i v i s i o n g a t h e r s i n [ H o l d e n ] ' s yard." Holden a l s o a t t a c h e d t o h i s response the a f f i d a v i t of R e g i n a l d W i l l i a m s , another of h i s neighbors, i n which W i l l i a m s p r o v i d e d his educational background, indicated that e n g i n e e r i n g manager i n an a u t o m o b i l e p l a n t , the flooding design that he of which Holden had and c o m p l a i n e d was of the drainage system i n Windsor made h i s c o n c e r n s 6 known t o he an opined that caused Parke. city was He by the stated officials and 2080947 representatives from ESI but that nothing ESI filed had b e e n done in strike the response to h i s concerns. On April affidavits Mastin's 1, 2009, of M a s t i n and affidavit, motions Williams. ESI argued In i t s motion to that c o n t a i n e d " s p e c u l a t i v e and c o n c l u s o r y was not qualified d i t c h was it to Mastin's strike affidavit statements" that Mastin t o make, i n c l u d i n g h i s s t a t e m e n t t h a t the t o o s m a l l t o h a n d l e t h e amount o f w a t e r f l o w i n g i n t o from the d e t e n t i o n pond. e x p l a i n how I t argued that Mastin " f a i l e d he c o n c l u d e d t h a t W i n d s o r P a r k e ' s d e t e n t i o n to pond h a [ d ] caused and/or c o n t r i b u t e d to the water f l o w d e s c r i b e d i n his affidavit" and calculations, or that Mastin studies " o f f e r [ e d ] no to support measurements, his conclusory statements." In i t s motion to s t r i k e W i l l i a m s ' s that, because W i l l i a m s precluded by law was not f r o m o f f e r i n g an argued t h a t W i l l i a m s ' s affidavit for and his conclusions inadmissible a that hearsay. 7 a f f i d a v i t , ESI licensed expert lacked the engineer, opinion. a factual affidavit argued he ESI was also predicate contained 2080947 In response t o ESI's motion t o s t r i k e M a s t i n ' s a f f i d a v i t , Holden argued t h a t M a s t i n ' s a f f i d a v i t t e s t i m o n y was based on M a s t i n ' s o b s e r v a t i o n s , of w h i c h M a s t i n had p e r s o n a l k n o w l e d g e . Holden argued that, witness can testify personal p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 602, knowledge. to matters of In response A l a . R. which that to ESI's Evid., witness motion to W i l l i a m s ' s a f f i d a v i t , Holden argued t h a t W i l l i a m s ' s Williams's conclusions were b a s e d on affidavit about He a l s o a r g u e d t h a t general principles e n g i n e e r i n g , p h y s i c s , and w a t e r m e c h a n i c s , had e x p e r t i s e . has strike t e s t i m o n y was b a s e d on W i l l i a m s ' s p e r s o n a l o b s e r v a t i o n s , w h i c h W i l l i a m s was c o m p e t e n t t o t e s t i f y . a of which He a l s o a r g u e d t h a t W i l l i a m s was of Williams not r e q u i r e d t o be a l i c e n s e d e n g i n e e r t o o f f e r e x p e r t t e s t i m o n y . On A p r i l pending 9, 2009, t h e t r i a l motions. On April c o u r t h e l d a h e a r i n g on 14, 2009, i t e n t e r e d an the order s t r i k i n g M a s t i n ' s and W i l l i a m s ' s a f f i d a v i t s and g r a n t i n g E S I ' s summary-judgment m o t i o n . supreme c o u r t , which Holden f i l e d a t i m e l y a p p e a l t o our transferred p u r s u a n t t o ยง 1 2 - 2 - 7 ( 6 ) , A l a . Code The standard judgment i s w e l l by which this settled. 8 the appeal to this court 1975. court reviews a summary 2080947 "On appeal, this Court reviews a summary j u d g m e n t de n o v o , a p p l y i n g t h e same s t a n d a r d o f r e v i e w as d i d t h e t r i a l c o u r t . H o r n s b y v. S e s s i o n s , 703 So. 2d 932 ( A l a . 1 9 9 7 ) . To d e f e a t a summary j u d g m e n t , t h e n o n m o v i n g p a r t y must show s u b s t a n t i a l evidence c r e a t i n g a genuine i s s u e of m a t e r i a l f a c t . Ex p a r t e G e n e r a l M o t o r s C o r p . , 769 So. 2d 903 ( A l a . 1999). 'Our r e v i e w i s f u r t h e r s u b j e c t t o t h e c a v e a t t h a t t h i s C o u r t must r e v i e w t h e r e c o r d i n a l i g h t most f a v o r a b l e t o t h e nonmovant a n d must r e s o l v e a l l r e a s o n a b l e d o u b t s a g a i n s t t h e movant. 'Hobson v. A m e r i c a n C a s t I r o n P i p e Co.,690 So. 2d 341, 3 4 4 ( A l a . 1997). " H o l t v. L a u d e r d a l e C o u n t y , 3d ___ , ___ [Ms. 1050740, Nov. 7, 2008] ( A l a . 2008). "A trial court's So. determination w h e t h e r t o a d m i t o r e x c l u d e t e s t i m o n y w i l l n o t be d i s t u r b e d on appeal unless Greener v. the trial Killough, court 1 So. 3d exceeded 93, i t s discretion." 100-01 ( A l a . C i v . App. 2008). On when Holden contends i t s t r u c k the a f f i d a v i t s argues may appeal, that, pursuant testify knowledge. t o Rule t o a matter that the t r i a l of Mastin court erred and W i l l i a m s . He 602, A l a . R. E v i d . , a w i t n e s s of which that witness has p e r s o n a l He a s s e r t s t h a t , as h i s n e i g h b o r s , b o t h M a s t i n a n d W i l l i a m s h a d p e r s o n a l k n o w l e d g e o f what t h e y o b s e r v e d a n d t h a t their testimony observe, e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t t h e y were i n a p o s i t i o n t o and d i d observe, t h e f a c t s on w h i c h 9 their testimony 2080947 was based. created a He also genuine argues issue of summary j u d g m e n t t h e t r i a l R u l e 602, "[a] witness introduced has A l a . R. may their material not testify of fact the testimony precluding i n favor of the ESI. i n pertinent part to a matter unless to support knowledge affidavit court entered Evid., provides sufficient personal that a finding matter. that evidence i s t h a t the Evidence witness to prove p e r s o n a l k n o w l e d g e may, but need not, c o n s i s t of the witness's own 602 proffered testimony." testimony is perceptions. Civ. App. We is satisfied rationally See Allen v. based Hill, affidavit. i s based personal w h i c h ESI on 758 when t h e the So. 2d witness's 574, 576 own (Ala. 1999). conclude t h a t the t r i a l Mastin's above, Rule on Mastin's his observations. objected c o u r t e r r e d when i t a f f i d a v i t testimony, personal The knowledge drawn passage i n Mastin's excluded recounted from affidavit reads: "When i t r a i n s h e a v i l y , t o o much w a t e r f l o w s f r o m t h e d e t e n t i o n p o n d i n t o t h e d i t c h , and t h e d i t c h c a n n o t m a i n t a i n t h e amount o f w a t e r f l o w i n g f r o m t h e d e t e n t i o n pond. B a s i c a l l y , the d i t c h i s too s m a l l f o r t h e amount o f w a t e r f l o w i n g f r o m t h e d e t e n t i o n p o n d , o r t h e amount o f w a t e r p e r m i t t e d t o f l o w f r o m t h e d e t e n t i o n p o n d i n t o t h e d i t c h i s t o o much f o r the d i t c h to handle." 10 his to 2080947 Previously had in his affidavit, p e r s o n a l l y observed property overflow when the readily was that i n the d e t e n t i o n pond d r a i n into apparent caused by b a s e d on h i s p e r s o n a l o b s e r v a t i o n s inference the that volume of the water f l o w i n g i n t o of ESI We do not the construe the adequacy determination regarding the contain. Such overflowing water takes of issue with and of as a Mastin's amount the scientific the ditch or volume of water that c a l c u l a t i o n s and and the measurements o f affidavit the the exceeding c a l c u l a t i o n s of the the of the the ditch determination could heavily and Holden's had t o b a s e h i s s t a t e m e n t s on ditch. and he he a v a i l a b l e space i n the d i t c h . failure between h i s i n t o the d i t c h from the d e t e n t i o n pond t h a n d i t c h c o u l d c o n t a i n was ditch ditch established that Thus, h i s s t a t e m e n t t h a t , d u r i n g h e a v y r a i n s , more water flowed the had i t rained observed the water gathered the d i t c h . Mastin a technical the ditch measurements were unnecessary g i v e n the f a c t t h a t M a s t i n p e r s o n a l l y observed the f l o o d i n g of the ditch pond t h a t o c c u r r e d Because personal from water d u r i n g heavy Mastin's observations affidavit and f l o w i n g from the detention rains. testimony was based perceptions, the trial 11 on his court 2080947 exceeded Allen i t s d i s c r e t i o n when i t s t r u c k v. H i l l , 758 So. 2d a t 576 his affidavit. (finding error court's exclusion of deposition testimony testimony of witness a genuine judgment, we issue pretermit of m a t e r i a l fact precluding consideration argues c o r r e c t l y that o f whether when, dominant estate i s located within servient estate i s located outside "modified civil rights the flow 494 So. 2d 13, 15 Under t h e m o d i f i e d alter the flow as i n t h i s civil causing case, the the m u n i c i p a l i t y , the of surface (Ala. water damage i n t e r f e r e with the possessory Id. basis and t h e the p a r t i e s ' waters. Street 1986)(emphasis v. omitted). l a w r u l e , " t h e u p p e r l a n d owner c a n of surface substantial trial affidavit. t o improve h i s property; h o w e v e r , he h a s a d u t y n o t t o u n d u l y b u r d e n t h e l o w e r by As summary the a municipality law r u l e " a p p l i e s i n determining regarding Tackett, when t h e a f f i d a v i t was s u f f i c i e n t t o e x c e e d e d i t s d i s c r e t i o n when i t s t r u c k W i l l i a m s ' s ESI trial was r a t i o n a l l y b a s e d on h i s own p e r c e p t i o n s ) . d i s c u s s e d below, because Mastin's create in See and not to property unreasonably r i g h t s of the lower landowner." As p r e v i o u s l y n o t e d , E S I s o u g h t a summary j u d g m e n t on t h e of i t s a f f i r m a t i v e evidence 12 demonstrating that i t s 2080947 construction into the of the ditch, detention rather pond r e d u c e d the than increasing flow of i t as water alleged by Holden. Thus, i t a r g u e d t h a t , b e c a u s e " t h e post-development drainage c a l c u l a t i o n s show t h a t and surface water discharge to the development and of the run-off Windsor volume i s l e s s t h a n i t was Parke, d r a i n a g e s y s t e m s i n a r e a s o n a b l e and Mastin's derived with therefrom, regard to judgment. ESI's that affidavit caused the i n the property. Mastin not occur b e f o r e reasonable on to flooding and Mastin's the an both implemented ESI inferences to of m a t e r i a l sought affidavit a be fact summary indicates that amount o f surface and this overflow and Holden's overflow of i t prior l a w f u l manner." which pond d i s c h a r g e d ditch ... a genuine i s s u e basis Particularly, detention resulted the testimony, created v e l o c i t y of that his property water t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e f l o o d i n g he o b s e r v e d d i d ESI's c o n s t r u c t i o n of the d e t e n t i o n fact-finder could conclude, based pond. A on Mastin's a f f i d a v i t t e s t i m o n y , t h a t ESI's c o n s t r u c t i o n of the detention pond r e s u l t e d i n the c a s t i n g of a l a r g e r volume of w a t e r i n t o the ditch than had previously been cast into the r e s u l t i n g i n the f l o o d i n g of which Holden complained. 13 ditch, Because 2080947 the basis of ESI's summary-judgment motion was that i t s d e t e n t i o n pond had d e c r e a s e d t h e volume o f w a t e r f l o w i n g the ditch, Holden carried h i s summary-judgment p r o f f e r i n g s u b s t a n t i a l evidence demonstrating of m a t e r i a l f a c t . entered As a r e s u l t , t h e t r i a l burden c o u r t e r r e d when i t a summary j u d g m e n t i n f a v o r o f E S I . exceeded i t s d i s c r e t i o n that that when i t e x c l u d e d affidavit demonstrated m a t e r i a l fact precluding the t r i a l Thus, we reverse affidavit, the t r i a l we r e v e r s e court's the t r i a l Mastin's a issue order court's striking Mastin's summary j u d g m e n t i n court f o r REVERSED AND REMANDED. B r y a n , Thomas, a n d Moore, J J . , c o n c u r . 14 of c o u r t ' s summary j u d g m e n t . proceedings. Pittman, court affidavit genuine f a v o r o f E S I , a n d we remand t h e c a u s e t o t h e t r i a l further of a genuine i s s u e B a s e d on t h e f o r e g o i n g , we c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e t r i a l and into

Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.