STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY v. HON. DANNY P. CAUDILL, JUDGE, FLOYD CIRCUIT COURT AND CHARLES RANDALL CONLEY
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RENDERED:
SEPTEMBER 26, 2003; 2:00 P.M.
TO BE PUBLISHED
Commonwealth Of Kentucky
Court of Appeals
NO.
2003-CA-001333-OA
STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE
INSURANCE COMPANY
PETITIONER
ORIGINAL ACTION
REGARDING FLOYD CIRCUIT COURT
ACTION NO. 03-CI-00201
v.
HON. DANNY P. CAUDILL, JUDGE,
FLOYD CIRCUIT COURT
RESPONDENT
AND
CHARLES RANDALL CONLEY
REAL PARTY IN INTEREST
OPINION AND ORDER
DISMISSING
*** *** ***
BEFORE:
EMBERTON, CHIEF JUDGE; BAKER AND BARBER, JUDGES.
BAKER, JUDGE.
This matter is before the Court on State Farm
Mutual Automobile Insurance Company’s (“State Farm”) petition
for writ of prohibition pursuant to Ky. R. Civ. P. (CR) 76.36.
State Farm seeks relief from a June 13, 2003, order of the Floyd
Circuit Court granting a petition for discovery filed under
Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 304.39-280(3) by Charles Randall
Conley, the real party in interest herein.
We begin by noting that a writ is a vehicle designed
to implement or to facilitate the Court’s jurisdiction and is
not to be used as a substitute for the appellate process.
Francis v. Taylor, Ky., 593 S.W.2d 514 (1980).
See
It is an
extraordinary remedy to which a petitioner must show
entitlement.
To prevail on the writ, State Farm must
demonstrate that:
1) the lower court is proceeding or is about
to proceed outside its jurisdiction and
there is no adequate remedy by appeal, or 2)
the lower court is about to act incorrectly,
although within its jurisdiction, and there
exists no adequate remedy by appeal or
otherwise and great injustice and
irreparable injury would result.
Southeastern United Medigroup, Inc. v. Hughes, Ky., 952 S.W.2d
195, 199 (1997).
On February 14, 2003, Conley petitioned the Floyd
Circuit Court, respondent herein, pursuant to KRS 304.39-280(3)
for an order “permitting discovery into the matter of the
misappropriation, mishandling, and misuse of his private medical
information, including the right to take written and oral
depositions.”
A civil summons was issued and served on State
Farm with the petition.
State Farm filed objections thereto.
The circuit court disposed of the petition by order entered June
13, 2003, which provides in pertinent part:
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Petitioner’s
Petition and Motion to take Discovery is
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GRANTED and SUSTAINED with respect to
matters affecting Petitioner’s medical
information and basic reparation benefits.
Pursuant to KRS 304.39-280(3), petitioner
may take discovery, including written or
oral depositions with the limitation that
such discovery must be related to matters
affecting his medical information and basic
reparation benefits. Respondent’s
objections to such discovery are OVERRULED.
Floyd Circuit Court Order at 1.
State Farm now seeks relief from the above order
through the instant petition for writ of prohibition.
We,
however, hold the petition for writ of prohibition must be
dismissed, our reasoning being that the proper avenue by which
to challenge a final decision disposing of a petition filed
under KRS 304.39-280(3) is by direct appeal.
KRS 304.39-280 is a provision of the Kentucky Motor
Vehicle Reparations Act (KRS Chapter 304.39) that establishes a
procedure for the disclosure of “information relevant to a claim
for basic or added reparation benefits.”
Subsection (3) of KRS
304.39-280 is at issue in this original action.
It reads as
follows:
In case of dispute as to the right of a
claimant or reparation obligor to discover
information required to be disclosed, the
claimant or reparation obligor may petition
the Circuit Court in the county in which the
claimant resides for an order for discovery
including the right to take written or oral
depositions. Upon notice to all persons
having an interest, the order may be made
for good cause shown. It shall specify the
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time, place, manner, conditions, and scope
of the discovery. To protect against
annoyance, embarrassment, or oppression, the
court may enter an order refusing discovery
or specifying conditions of discovery and
directing payment of costs and expenses of
the proceeding, including reasonable
attorney's fees.
KRS 304.39-280(3).
Under the above statute, a party may file a
petition in circuit court when a dispute exists regarding the
right of a claimant or reparation obligor to pursue discovery.
The circuit court may enter an order compelling discovery or
denying discovery.
In essence, KRS 304.39-280(3) creates an
independent cause of action in the circuit court to resolve such
discovery disputes.
In the case at hand, Conley filed a petition in the
circuit court under KRS 304.39-280(3), and the circuit court
entered an order on June 13, 2003, granting the petition, thus
compelling discovery.
The June 13, 2003, order fully
adjudicated the issue of discovery raised in the petition;
consequently, it represented a final and appealable order
pursuant to (CR) 54.01.
CR 54.01 defines a final judgment as follows:
A judgment is a written order of a court
adjudicating a claim or claims in an action
or proceeding. A final or appealable
judgment is a final order adjudicating all
the rights of all the parties in an action
or proceeding, or a judgment made final
under Rule 54.02. Where the context
requires, the term “judgment” as used in
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these rules shall be construed “final
judgment” or “final order”.
In other words, the finality of an order is determined
by whether it grants or denies the ultimate relief sought in the
action.
See, e.g., Security Federal Sav. & Loan Ass’n of
Mayfield v. Nesler, Ky., 697 S.W.2d 136, 138 (1985); Brumley v.
Lewis, Ky., 340 S.W.2d 599, 600 (1960); Commonwealth ex rel.
Reeves v. Unknown Heirs of Brown, Ky., 249 S.W.2d 52, 53 (1952).
It is clear to us that the June 13, 2003, order granted Conley
the ultimate relief that he sought in his petition, thereby
fully disposing of his dispute with State Farm and putting an
end to the action itself.
Accordingly, we are of the opinion
that the June 13, 2003, order is final and, consequently, that
an appeal as a matter of right was State Farm’s exclusive remedy
to challenge it before this Court.
Therefore, it is ORDERED that this original action be
DISMISSED.
ALL CONCUR.
ENTERED: September 26, 2003
COUNSEL FOR PETITIONER:
Richard G. Segal
Jason B. Moore
Louisville, Kentucky
/s/ Matthew J. Baker___
JUDGE, COURT OF APPEALS
COUNSEL FOR REAL PARTY IN
INTEREST:
Nathan Collins
Lackey, Kentucky
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