Elawyers Elawyers
Washington| Change

Sanford v. Yukins, 00-2504 (2002)

Court: Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Number: 00-2504 Visitors: 17
Filed: Apr. 04, 2002
Latest Update: Mar. 02, 2020
Summary: 5(&200(1'(' )25 )8//7(;7 38%/,&$7,21 3XUVXDQW WR 6L[WK &LUFXLW 5XOH  (/(&7521,& &,7$7,21  )(' $SS 3 WK &LU )LOH 1DPH DS 81,7('67$7(6&28572)$33($/6 )257+(6,;7+&,5&8,7 BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB $11(77( 6$1)25' ; 3HWLWLRQHU$SSHOOHH    1R Y  !  s2$1 7@KH &RXUW IXUWKHU ILQGV WKDW DLG RU HQFRXUDJHPHQW :H FRQFOXGH WKDW D MXU\ HDVLO\ FRXOG KDYH FRQFOXGHG WUDQVIHUVDQGLVDSSOLFDEOHWR0LFKDHOLQWKDWLIWKH EH\RQGDUHDVRQDEOHGRXEWWK
More
5(&200(1'(' )25 )8//7(;7 38%/,&$7,21 3XUVXDQW WR 6L[WK &LUFXLW 5XOH  (/(&7521,& &,7$7,21  )(' $SS 3 WK &LU )LOH 1DPH DS 81,7('67$7(6&28572)$33($/6 )257+(6,;7+&,5&8,7 BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB $11(77( 6$1)25' ; 3HWLWLRQHU$SSHOOHH    1R Y  !  s2$1 7@KH &RXUW IXUWKHU ILQGV WKDW DLG RU HQFRXUDJHPHQW :H FRQFOXGH WKDW D MXU\ HDVLO\ FRXOG KDYH FRQFOXGHG WUDQVIHUVDQGLVDSSOLFDEOHWR0LFKDHOLQWKDWLIWKH EH\RQGDUHDVRQDEOHGRXEWWKDW6DQIRUGGHVSLWHKHUVLOHQFH SDUHQWRI/RULKDGVRXJKWWRLQWHUIHUHWKDWWKHDFWFRXOG UHQGHUHG DVVLVWDQFH DQG HQFRXUDJHPHQW WR FRGHIHQGDQW QRW KDYH EHHQ DFFRPSOLVKHG DW OHDVW LW ZRXOG KDYH :LOVRQ  )LUVW WKH DVVDXOW WRRN SODFH LQ 6DQIRUGjV RZQ FRQYH\HGWR0LFKDHOWKHREMHFWLRQRIWKHSDUHQWRI/RUL EHGURRPZKLFKVKHVKDUHGZLWK:LOVRQ6HFRQG6DQIRUG DQGWKDWZDVQRWGRQH ZDVDOUHDG\SUHVHQWLQWKHEHGURRPZKHQ:LOVRQFDOOHGWKH FKLOGUHQLQWRWKHURRPWKXVVXSSRUWLQJDQLQIHUHQFHWKDWWKH 7KXVDIWHUYLHZLQJWKHHYLGHQFHLQWKHOLJKWPRVWIDYRUDEOH GHFLVLRQWRSHUSHWUDWHWKHDEXVHKDGEHHQMRLQWO\PDGH7KLUG WRWKHSURVHFXWLRQWKHWULDOFRXUWGHQLHG6DQIRUGj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m$ILVKGRHVQjWJHWFDXJKWLIKHNHHSVKLVPRXWK VKXWl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jVSHWLWLRQ FXOSDELOLW\ UHOLHG RQ E\ WKH WULDO FRXUW LQ WKLV FDVH  $Q IRUKDEHDVUHOLHIWKH0LFKLJDQ6XSUHPH&RXUWQRQHWKHOHVV H[FHSWLRQWRWKHµPHUHSUHVHQFHjUXOHH[LVWVZKHQDSDUHQWKDV UHIXVHGWRDGGUHVVWKHFHUWLILHGTXHVWLRQUHDIILUPLQJWKDWLW DOHJDOGXW\WRSUHYHQWWKHFRPPLVVLRQRIDFULPHl,GDW GHHPHGWKH0LFKLJDQ&RXUWRI$SSHDOVjVGHFLVLRQFRUUHFW Q7KH0LFKLJDQ6XSUHPH&RXUWGHQLHG6DQIRUGOHDYH %DVHG XSRQ WKHVH FRQVLGHUDWLRQV DQG JLYLQJ DSSURSULDWH WRDSSHDOZLWKRXWFRPPHQW  6DQIRUGY @ WRSURYHWKHVHFRQGHOHPHQWRIDLGLQJDQGDEHWWLQJLHWKDW WKH\ UHMHFW FODLPV WKDW FRQYLFWLRQV VKRXOG EH UHYHUVHG 6DQIRUG DVVLVWHG RU HQFRXUDJHG WKH SULQFLSDO RIIHQVH  7KH EHFDXVHVWDWHFRXUWVPLVXQGHUVWRRGRUPLVDSSOLHGVWDWH GLVWULFWFRXUWRSLQHGWKDWWKHODFNRIHYLGHQFHLQWKHUHFRUGRQ ODZ  $Q HTXDOO\ ILUP UHEXII LV DSSURSULDWH ZKHQ WKH WKDWLVVXHYLRODWHG6DQIRUGjV)RXUWHHQWK$PHQGPHQWULJKWWR VDPHFODLPDSSHDUVLQsDFNVRQLDQJXLVH GXHSURFHVVRIODZDVHVWDEOLVKHGLQsDFNVRQY9LUJLQLD 86   KROGLQJWKDWDQDSSOLFDQWLVmHQWLWOHGWR %DWHV)GDW KDEHDV FRUSXV UHOLHI LI LW LV IRXQG WKDW XSRQ WKH UHFRUG HYLGHQFHDGGXFHGDWWKHWULDOQRUDWLRQDOWULHURIIDFWFRXOG $SSDUHQWO\UHO\LQJRQWKHWHVWLPRQ\RIERWKFKLOGUHQWKDW KDYHIRXQGSURRIRIJXLOWEH\RQGDUHDVRQDEOHGRXEWl  6DQIRUG GLG QRW WRXFK WKHP RU VD\ DQ\WKLQJ DQG WKHLU DJUHHPHQWWKDWVKHZDVmPHUHO\SUHVHQWlGXULQJWKHUHOHYDQW 5DWKHUWKDQJUDQWUHOLHIRXWULJKWKRZHYHUWKHGLVWULFWFRXUW WLPHSHULRGWKHGLVWULFWFRXUWFRQFOXGHGWKDW6DQIRUGjVVLOHQW GHWHUPLQHG LQ WKH LQWHUHVW RI FRPLW\ WR FHUWLI\ WR WKH SUHVHQFHZDVLQVXIILFLHQWXQGHUsDFNVRQY9LUJLQLDWRVXSSRUW 0LFKLJDQ6XSUHPH&RXUWWKHIROORZLQJTXHVWLRQ KHU FRQYLFWLRQV IRU DLGLQJ DQG DEHWWLQJ DV GHILQHG E\ VWDWH ODZ7KXVWKHGLVWULFWFRXUWDSSHDUVWRKDYHFRQFOXGHGWKDW :KHWKHU3HWLWLRQHU6DQIRUGjVVLOHQWSUHVHQFHGXULQJWKH WKHVHFRQGHOHPHQWIRUSURYLQJDLGLQJDQGDEHWWLQJLHWKDW RIIHQVH DV GHVFULEHG LQ WKH UHFRUG    FRQVWLWXWHV WKH GHIHQGDQW KDYH JLYHQ DVVLVWDQFH RU HQFRXUDJHPHQW mHQFRXUDJHPHQWlRUmDVVLVWDQFHlRIWKHRIIHQVHVRDVWR UHTXLUHG DQ RYHUW DFW  7KLV FRQFOXVLRQ LV HUURU  m:KDW LV VXSSRUW KHU DLGLQJ DQG DEHWWLQJ FRQYLFWLRQ XQGHU VWDWH HVVHQWLDOWRHVWDEOLVKDQHOHPHQWOLNHWKHTXHVWLRQZKHWKHUD ODZ7KH&RXUWYLHZVWKLVTXHVWLRQDVLQFOXGLQJEXWQRW JLYHQHOHPHQWLVQHFHVVDU\LVDTXHVWLRQRIVWDWHODZl%DWHV OLPLWHGWRWKHTXHVWLRQRIZKHWKHU6DQIRUGDVPRWKHURI  )G DW   7KXV XQGHU WKH mDVVLVWDQFH RU RQHRIWKHYLFWLPVmHQFRXUDJHGlWKHRIIHQVHE\IDLOLQJWR HQFRXUDJHPHQWl SURQJ RI DQ DLGLQJ DQG DEHWWLQJ FODLP SURWHFWKHUGDXJKWHUIURPWKHFULPLQDOFRQGXFW ZKHWKHU mVLOHQWl SUHVHQFH LV V\QRQ\PRXV ZLWK mPHUHl SUHVHQFH DQG ZKHWKHU VRPH RYHUW DFW LV UHTXLUHG WR SURYH 7KH 0LFKLJDQ 6XSUHPH &RXUW GHFOLQHG WKH GLVWULFW FRXUWjV HQFRXUDJHPHQWLVDGHWHUPLQDWLRQWKDWSURSHUO\PXVWEHOHIW UHTXHVWQRWLQJ  WKDWmWKHPDWWHUZDVDOUHDG\UHVROYHGE\ WRWKHVWDWHFRXUWV WKH0LFKLJDQ&RXUWRI$SSHDOVlDQG  WKDWmWKHHYLGHQFH VXSSRUWHGWKHMXU\jVILQGLQJWKDWSHWLWLRQHUDLGHGDQGDEHWWHG 0RUHRYHUZHEHOLHYHWKDWWKHGLVWULFWFRXUWjVHTXDWLRQRI ILUVWGHJUHHFULPLQDOVH[XDOFRQGXFWl mPHUHSUHVHQFHlZLWKmVLOHQWSUHVHQFHlLVLQKHUHQWO\IODZHG $Q DLGHU DQG DEHWWRU LQWHQWLRQDOO\ SUHVHQW GXULQJ D EDQN 6XEVHTXHQWO\ WKH GLVWULFW FRXUW JUDQWHG 6DQIRUGjV DSSOLFDWLRQIRUZULWRIKDEHDVFRUSXVEHFDXVHmWKHHYLGHQFH RI6DQIRUGjVVLOHQWSUHVHQFHZDVLQVXIILFLHQWXQGHUWKH  GRFWULQHRIsDFNVRQY9LUJLQLDWRVXSSRUWKHUFRQYLFWLRQVLQ 7ZR SRLQWV EHDU PHQWLRQLQJ DW WKLV MXQFWXUH )LUVW QHLWKHU FKLOG WKDW FDVH IRU DLGLQJ DQG DEHWWLQJ DV GHILQHG E\ VWDWH ODZl DFWXDOO\ VDLG WKDW 6DQIRUG ZDV mPHUHO\ SUHVHQWl 7KRVH ZHUH WKH ZRUGV 7KLVDSSHDOIROORZHG RI D ODZ\HU LQVHUWHG LQWR OHDGLQJ TXHVWLRQV ZLWK ZKLFK WKH FKLOGUHQ DJUHHG E\ UHVSRQGLQJ m\HVl RU mQRl 6HFRQG HYHQ WKRXJK WKH SURVHFXWRU GLG QRW REMHFW LW UHPDLQV FOHDU WKDW VXFK WHVWLPRQ\ FDQQRW EH GLVSRVLWLYH RI WKLV FRXUWjV GHWHUPLQDWLRQ RI mPHUH SUHVHQFHl  6DQIRUGY
Source:  CourtListener

Can't find what you're looking for?

Post a free question on our public forum.
Ask a Question
Search for lawyers by practice areas.
Find a Lawyer