STEVEN CARY v. MICHAEL S. COX
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RENDERED:
FEBRUARY 25, 2005; 2:00 p.m.
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED
Commonwealth Of Kentucky
Court of Appeals
NO. 2004-CA-000402-MR
STEVEN CARY
APPELLANT
APPEAL FROM JEFFERSON CIRCUIT COURT
HONORABLE MARTIN F. MCDONALD, JUDGE
ACTION NO. 02-CI-003398
v.
MICHAEL S. COX
APPELLEE
OPINION
VACATING AND REMANDING
** ** ** ** **
BEFORE:
COMBS, CHIEF JUDGE; DYCHE AND KNOPF, JUDGES.
DYCHE, JUDGE:
The Jefferson Circuit Court dismissed Steven
Cary’s personal injury claim against Michael S. Cox, apparently
due to Cary’s failure to abide by an order of the court to
appear for a physical examination by a physician of Cox’s
choice.
Because the trial court failed to make any findings
supporting its order, we vacate and remand.
Cary’s complaint against Cox was filed in May of 2002.
Routine discovery progressed, and trial was set for September 9,
2003.
Prior to that date, the judge of the division in which
the matter was pending retired, and counsel for Cary “presumed”
for some reason that the trial would be cancelled, so he advised
Cary not to make the trip from his home in Texas to Louisville
at that time.
On September 9, 2003, trial was rescheduled for
January 27, 2004; counsel, in open court, made certain
agreements concerning pretrial matters in the case, including
the identity of expert witnesses.
Counsel for Cary thereafter
moved the court to be allowed to change the agreement; the trial
court agreed, and then counsel for Cox sought permission to
engage in further discovery to counter the additional witness
for Cary.
On November 13, 2003, counsel for Cox wrote counsel
for Cary scheduling a medical examination of Cary for December
17, 2003, in Louisville, and for a deposition of that examining
doctor for January 8, 2004.
Counsel for Cary made no objection
and took no action until counsel for Cox moved the court to
order Cary to appear at the doctor’s office for the examination.
On December 15, 2003, the court conducted a hearing on that
motion and entered an order for Cary to appear for the
examination, as previously notified, on December 17, 2003.
Cary failed to appear, and Cox moved for dismissal.
granted the motion, and this appeal followed.
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The court
Cary argues to this court that the trial court abused
its discretion in dismissing his action.
that the sanction was richly deserved.
Cox, of course, argues
Unfortunately, the trial
court made no findings underpinning its order, and the videotape
of the hearing on the motion to dismiss is not in the record, so
we are unable to determine the question presented.
In Greathouse v. American National Bank and Trust Co.,
796 S.W.2d 869 (Ky.App. 1990), this Court faced a similar
circumstance.
The defendant failed to answer interrogatories
and produce certain documents, and the court issued an order for
compliance, which went unheeded.
The trial court granted the
plaintiff a default judgment, making no supporting findings, and
the defendant appealed.
We will first examine the propriety of
the default judgment itself. It is
unquestioned in these circumstances that the
standard of review on appeal of same is
whether it was an abuse of discretion by the
trial judge.
Nowicke v. Central Bank &
Trust Co., Ky.App., 551 S.W.2d 809 (1977).
See also Natural Resources and Environmental
Protection Cabinet v. Williams, Ky., 768
S.W.2d 47 (1989).
This discretion, however, is not
unbridled, but must rest upon a finding of
willfulness or bad faith on behalf of the
party to be sanctioned.
Nowicke, supra, at
810.
Such behavior has also been
characterized as possessing "a consciousness
and intentional failure to comply with the
provisions [of the Civil Rules.]"
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We are aware of the deference due the
trial court's findings. CR 52.01. In this
case, however, we have no such findings, and
are unable to discern the precise reason for
imposition of the ultimate sanction upon
appellant; we must therefore vacate the
judgment and remand for findings by the
trial court. The preferred course of
conduct would be for the trial court's
dismissal under these circumstances to be
"accompanied by some articulation on the
record of the court's resolution of the
factual, legal, and discretionary issues
presented." Quality Prefabrication, Inc. v.
Daniel J. Keating Company, 675 F.2d 77, 81
(3d Cir. 1982). This should not be overly
burdensome to the trial court, and will
assist in meaningful appellate review. See
CR 52.01.
The reasons for desiring some
articulation of the bases for
decision have special importance
in this context. When such a
severe sanction is imposed, values
of consistency and predictability,
reviewability, and deterrence,
outweigh the values of economy and
efficiency that may be promoted by
allowing inarticulate decisions.
Quality Prefabrication, supra, at 81
(citation omitted).
Then, if appealed, the trial court's
decision may more intelligently be examined.
Among the factors to be considered
in reviewing the imposition of
sanctions for an abuse of
discretion, the appellate court
should consider: (1) whether the
adversary was prejudiced by the
dismissed party's failure to
cooperate in discovery, (2)
whether the dismissed party was
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warned that failure to cooperate
could lead to dismissal, and (3)
whether less drastic sanctions
were imposed or considered before
dismissal was ordered.
Taylor v. Medtronics, Inc., 861 F.2d
980, 986 (6th Cir. 1988) (citation omitted).
It has also been stated that "if a party has
the ability to comply with a discovery order
and does not, dismissal is not an abuse of
discretion." Regional Refuse Systems, Inc.
v. Inland Reclamation Co., 842 F.2d 150, 154
(6th Cir. 1988).
796 S.W.2d at 869-870.
We remand to the Jefferson Circuit Court
for appropriate action in accordance with Greathouse.
ALL CONCUR.
BRIEF FOR APPELLANT:
BRIEF FOR APPELLEE:
Edward C. Airhart
Louisville, Kentucky
Marc L. Breit
Scott E. Miller
Louisville, Kentucky
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