FOR PUBLICATION
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANTS: ATTORNEY FOR APPELLEE:
MELVIN A. RICHARDS TODD L. RUETZ
Richards, Boje, Pickering, Benner & Becker Campbell Kyle Proffitt
Noblesville, Indiana Carmel, Indiana
IN THE
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
AMERICAN MANAGEMENT, INC., and )
RICHARD McCOOL, SR., )
)
Appellants-Defendants, )
)
vs. ) No. 29A02-9908-CV-628
)
RIVERSIDE NATIONAL BANK, )
)
Appellee-Plaintiff. )
APPEAL FROM THE HAMILTON SUPERIOR COURT NO. 3
The Honorable Daniel J. Pfleging, Judge
Cause No. 29D03-9808-CP-417
March 24, 2000
OPINION - FOR PUBLICATION
BROOK, Judge
Case Summary
Appellant-defendant Richard McCool, Sr. (McCool), president
See footnote
of appellant-codefendant American Management, Inc. (American), appeals
the trial courts grant of summary judgment in favor of appellee-plaintiff Riverside National
Bank (Riverside). We affirm.
Issue
McCool raises one issue that we restate as: whether incomplete discovery should
have precluded the entry of summary judgment in an action to domesticate a
foreign judgment.
Facts and Procedural History
On March 16, 1998, a St. Lucie County, Florida court awarded a $95,000.00
judgment in favor of Riverside and against McCool and American. Counsel
See footnote
had
represented McCool and American during the mediation that resulted in the judgment.
On August 10, 1998, Riverside filed, in Indiana, a complaint on a foreign
judgment against McCool and American. In January of 1999, the Indiana trial
court granted summary judgment against American but not against McCool.
In early February of 1999, McCool responded to Riversides motion for summary judgment,
alleging that poor health had precluded him from attending the mediation in Florida
that resulted in the judgment against him. He further stated that had
he been able to attend, he would not have agreed to a judgment
being entered against him individually because he signed the Variable Rate Commercial Promissory
Note on behalf of American. As such, he urged that the agreed
judgment was not entered into intelligently, voluntarily or knowingly, thus creating an issue
of fact.
On February 22, 1999, McCool served upon Riverside a motion to produce various
documents.
See footnote
When Riverside objected to all of the requests, McCool filed a
motion to compel. In that motion, he asserted that the documents requested
were needed to demonstrate what the alleged Florida Judgment is based on.
Also, Plaintiff is in the best position to obtain copies of such documentation.
Shortly thereafter, the Indiana trial court entered summary judgment against McCool and
denied his motion to compel.
Discussion and Decision
McCool contends that the Indiana trial court erred when it granted summary judgment
because discovery was incomplete. He asserts that the documents he requested were
vital to his defense against Riversides claims. In particular, McCool argues that
the documents had a high probability of showing that he was not personally
responsible for Americans debts and that he did not sign any promissory notes
in his individual capacity. Thus, the requested documents would have likely created
genuine issues of material fact.
The purpose of summary judgment is to terminate litigation about which there can
be no factual dispute and which can be determined as a matter of
law." Bamberger & Feibleman v. Indianapolis Power & Light Co., 665 N.E.2d
933, 936 (Ind. Ct. App. 1996); see Ind. Trial Rule 56(C).
In reviewing a motion for summary judgment, we apply the same standard as
the trial court, and we resolve any question of fact or an inference
to be drawn therefrom in favor of the non-moving party. Bamberger, 665
N.E.2d at 936. We will affirm a trial court's grant of summary
judgment if it is sustainable on any theory supported by the designated evidence.
Id. Finally, the party appealing the trial court's denial or grant
of summary judgment bears the burden of persuading us that the trial court
erred. City of New Haven v. Chemical Waste Management of Indiana, L.L.C.,
701 N.E.2d 912, 922 (Ind. Ct. App. 1998), trans. denied (1999).
It is generally improper to grant summary judgment when requests for discovery
are still pending, unless pending discovery is unlikely to develop a genuine issue
of material fact. See Venture Enterprises, Inc. v. Ardsley Distributors, Inc., 669
N.E.2d 1029, 1032 (Ind. Ct. App. 1996); Mutual Sec. Life Ins. Co. by
Bennett v. Fidelity and Deposit Co. of Maryland, 659 N.E.2d 1096, 1103 (Ind.
Ct. App. 1995), trans denied (1996). In examining whether McCools discovery requests
are likely to create a genuine issue of material fact, we must consider
the law regarding foreign judgments.
A judgment of a foreign court is open to collateral attack for want
of personal jurisdiction or subject matter jurisdiction. Jenkins v. Futch, 640 N.E.2d
379, 381 (Ind. Ct. App. 1994); see also Ondo v. Kemper, 691 N.E.2d
1262, 1263 (Ind. Ct. App. 1998). However, [m]ere errors of law do
not deprive a court of its jurisdiction or open its judgment to collateral
attack; such are voidable, not void, and can only be corrected by direct
appeal. D.L.M. v. V.E.M., 438 N.E.2d 1023, 1028 (Ind. Ct. App. 1982).
A judgment which is void in the state where it is entered
is also void in Indiana. Jenkins, 640 N.E.2d at 381.
In the present case, McCool does not challenge either subject matter jurisdiction or
personal jurisdiction. Rather, he asserts that he should not be personally liable
for the Florida judgment because he allegedly signed the relevant documents only in
a representative capacity. He contends that the incomplete discovery would almost certainly
have supported him. We have our doubts as to whether that would
have been the case in view of the fact that the attorney who
represented McCool during the Florida mediation agreed that his client should be personally
liable for the $95,000.00 debt. We also question why McCool did not
attempt discovery earlier if he could not acquire the documents on his own
and if he believed them to be so vital to his claim.
Be that as it may, McCools present argument is unavailing for the reason
outlined below.
We perceive Riversides action to domesticate a foreign judgment as analogous to a
proceeding supplemental. Cf. State ex rel. Greebel v. Endsley, 269 Ind. 174,
379 N.E.2d 440 (1978) (analogizing action to enforce valid foreign support judgment to
a proceeding supplemental, and thus not allowing change of venue). As such,
McCool may not utilize the present Indiana action to collaterally attack the merits
of the facially valid
See footnote Florida judgment.
See Hermitage Ins. Co. v. Salts,
698 N.E.2d 856, 858-59 (Ind. Ct. App. 1998) (citing Ind. Trial Rule 69
and noting that proceedings supplemental may not be used to collaterally attack the
underlying judgment). Rather, McCools challenge to the imposition of personal liability against
him should have been brought in the Florida court system. Recalling that
we will affirm a trial court's grant of summary judgment if it is
sustainable on any theory supported by the designated evidence, Bamberger, 665 N.E.2d at
936, we conclude that the court properly granted summary judgment.
Affirmed.
NAJAM, J., and ROBB, J., concur.
Footnote:
McCool was the president of American during the relevant time period.
Footnote: McCool has since retained different counsel.
Footnote:
His motion requested:
1. Any and all documents, including affidavits, motions and supporting documents, which
were filed in support of a complaint filed by the plaintiff in the
State of Florida against the defendants in this cause of action.
2. Copies of any and all orders entered by the Court in
Florida in the litigation filed by plaintiff against the defendants.
3. All promissory notes, mortgages, letters of credit, applications for letters of
credit, approvals for letters of credit, all documents bearing the signatures of any
and all officers, directors or officials with authority to execute documents on behalf
of American Management, Inc. to Riverside National Bank, as well as any and
all other documents signed by Richard McCool, Sr. individually or on behalf of
any other entity for the past seven years.
4. Any and all memoranda of discussions by and between any and
all of the officers of the plaintiff or its employees pertaining to the
defendants in this matter.
5. Any and all memoranda and/or letters received by plaintiff from the
defendants in this matter.
6. Any and all financial statements received by plaintiff from the defendants
in this matter.
7. Any and all purported mediation agreements or mediation agreements which were
signed by and between the parties, including the mediator.
Footnote:
A judgment which is regular and complete on its face is presumed
valid, and thus should be afforded full faith and credit.
See Omni
Micro, Inc. v. Hyundi Electr. Amer., 571 N.E.2d 598, 600 (Ind. Ct. App.
1991). McCool does not assert that the judgment is incomplete or that
it contains such irregularities.