Petrillo v. Barnes-Jones ( 2023 )

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF NORTH CAROLINA
No. COA23-331
Filed 17 October 2023
Mecklenburg County, No. 21CVS9678
THERESA PETRILLO, Plaintiff,
v.
TIMISHA BARNES-JONES and ANDREW B. STRONG, in their individual
capacities and as public employees of the CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG BOARD
OF EDUCATION, Defendants.
Appeal by defendant from judgment entered 5 December 2022 by Judge Hugh
B. Lewis in Mecklenburg County Superior Court. Heard in the Court of Appeals 20
September 2023.
Ted A. Greve & Associates, PA, by Justin L. Lowenberger, for the plaintiff-
appellee.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, by Senior Associate General
Counsel Oksana K. Cody, for the defendant-appellant.
TYSON, Judge.
Timisha Barnes-Jones (“Barnes-Jones”) appeals the denial of her Rule 12(b)(6)
motion to dismiss, in which she asserted public official immunity barred Theresa
Petrillo (“Plaintiff” or “Petrillo”) from suing her in her individual capacity for
negligence purportedly committed in the course and scope of her public employment.
We reverse the trial court’s denial of Barnes-Jones’ motion to dismiss and remand for
entry of an order of dismissal.
PETRILLO V. BARNES-JONES
Opinion of the Court
I. Background
Barnes-Jones was the principal of West Charlotte High School (“WCHS”) in
2018. Andrew Strong (“Strong”) was a member of the custodial staff at WCHS. Both
Barnes-Jones and Strong were public employees.
Petrillo attended the University Instructors’ training to become an instructor
for their summer camp program, which was held on the campus of WCHS in June of
2018. Petrillo asserts she tripped and fell while walking on an outdoor, concrete
pathway between two WCHS buildings.
Petrillo filed a complaint against Barnes-Jones and Strong on 16 June 2021.
She alleged the concrete pathway between the two buildings was “raised and
unleveled,” which caused her to “fall to the ground” and severely injure herself.
Petrillo’s complaint alleges she is suing Barnes-Jones “solely in her individual
capacity” for negligence that occurred while Barnes-Jones was “acting in the course
and scope of her employment, as an agent and public employee” of the Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Board of Education and as principal of WCHS.
Petrillo’s complaint proffers Barnes-Jones “operated, managed, maintained[,]
and supervised the property and premises of WCHS.” She also cites Barnes-Jones’
and Strong’s duty to “exercise ordinary and reasonable care in the maintenance of
the property and premises of WCHS[,]” and claims her injuries were “proximately
caused by the careless, negligent[,] and unlawful conduct” of Barnes-Jones and
Strong.
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Opinion of the Court
On 1 April 2022, Barnes-Jones filed a Rules 12(b)(1), 12(b)(2), and 12(b)(6)
motions to dismiss the suit pursuant to governmental immunity. The trial court
denied her motion to dismiss because “the action name[d] Defendant Timisha Barnes-
Jones in her individual capacity.” See Taylor v. Ashburn, 112 N.C. App. 604, 607, 436
S.E.2d 276, 279 (1993) (“Governmental immunity protects the governmental entity
and its officers or employees sued in their ‘official capacity.’” (emphasis supplied)
(citation omitted)).
On 6 October 2022, Barnes-Jones filed a second 12(b)(1), 12(b)(2), and 12(b)(6)
motions to dismiss. In her second motions to dismiss, Barnes-Jones asserted Petrillo
“fail[ed] to state a claim upon which relief can be granted pursuant to the doctrine of
public official immunity.” (emphasis supplied). The trial court entered an order after
hearing, which denied Barnes-Jones’ second motions to dismiss on 5 December 2022.
Barnes-Jones filed a notice of appeal on 12 December 2022.
II. Jurisdiction - Interlocutory Appeal
The trial court’s order is interlocutory. “An interlocutory order is one made
during the pendency of an action, which does not dispose of the case, but leaves it for
further action by the trial court to settle and determine the entire controversy.”
Bartley v. City of High Point, 381 N.C. 287, 293, 873 S.E.2d 525, 532 (2022) (citing
Veazey v. City of Durham, 231 N.C. 354, 357, 362, 57 S.E.2d 377, 381 (1950)). “As a
general rule, interlocutory orders are not immediately appealable.” Turner v.
Hammocks Beach Corp., 363 N.C. 555, 558, 681 S.E.2d 770, 773 (2009) (citation
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Opinion of the Court
omitted).
Interlocutory orders can be immediately appealable “when the appeal involves
a substantial right of the appellant[,] and the appellant will be injured if the error is
not corrected before final judgment.” N.C. Dep’t of Transp. v. Stagecoach Vill., 360
N.C. 46, 47-48, 619 S.E.2d 495, 496 (2005) (citations omitted). See also N.C. Gen.
Stat. §§ 1-277(a) and 7A-27(b)(3)(a) (2021).
“Orders denying dispositive motions based on the defenses of governmental
and public official’s immunity affect a substantial right and are immediately
appealable.” Thompson v. Town of Dallas, 142 N.C. App. 651, 653, 543 S.E.2d 901,
903 (2001) (citation omitted); Price v. Davis, 132 N.C. App. 556, 558-59, 512 S.E.2d
783, 785 (1999) (explaining “this Court has repeatedly held that appeals raising
issues of governmental or sovereign immunity affect a substantial right sufficient to
warrant immediate appellate review”); Green v. Kearney, 203 N.C. App. 260, 266,
690 S.E.2d 755, 761 (2010) (extending this Court’s holding “that a denial of a Rule
12(b)(6) motion to dismiss on the basis of sovereign immunity affects a substantial
right and is immediately appealable” to allow interlocutory review of a public official
asserting public official immunity (emphasis supplied) (citing Price, 132 N.C. App. at
558-59, 512 S.E.2d at 785)); Bartley, 381 N.C. at 293, 873 S.E.2d at 532 (“The denial
of summary judgment on the ground of public official immunity is immediately
appealable because it affects a substantial right.”).
“Public official immunity is more than a mere affirmative defense to liability
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Opinion of the Court
as it shields a defendant entirely from having to answer for his conduct in a civil suit
for damages.” Bartley, 381 N.C. at 293, 873 S.E.2d at 532 (citations omitted).
“Nevertheless, this Court has declined to address interlocutory appeals of a
lower court’s denial of a Rule 12(b)(1) motion to dismiss despite the movant’s reliance
upon the doctrine of sovereign immunity.” Green, 203 N.C. App. at 265-66, 690 S.E.2d
at 760 (citations omitted).
Barnes-Jones seeks review of the trial court’s denial of her Rule 12(b)(6) motion
to dismiss asserting public official immunity from Petrillo’s action. Although Barnes-
Jones’ appeal is interlocutory, her claim involves a “substantial right.” Stagecoach
Vill., 360 N.C. at 47-48, 619 S.E.2d at 496; Thompson, 142 N.C. App. at 653, 543
S.E.2d at 903; Price, 132 N.C. App. at 558-59, 512 S.E.2d at 785; Green, 203 N.C.
App. at 266, 273, 690 S.E.2d at 761; Bartley, 381 N.C. at 293, 873 S.E.2d at 532.
Petrillo argues collateral estoppel barred Barnes-Jones from bringing her
second Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, in which she asserted public official
immunity. “The elements of collateral estoppel . . . are as follows: (1) a prior suit
resulting in a final judgment on the merits; (2) identical issues involved; (3) the issue
was actually litigated in the prior suit and necessary to the judgment; and (4) the
issue was actually determined.” Bluebird Corp. v. Aubin, 188 N.C. App. 671, 678, 657
S.E.2d 55, 61 (2008) (emphasis supplied) (citation and internal quotation marks
omitted).
The status of Barnes-Jones’ interlocutory appeal defeats Petrillo’s argument.
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PETRILLO V. BARNES-JONES
Opinion of the Court
An interlocutory order is, by definition, not a final judgment. Bartley, 381 N.C. at
293, 873 S.E.2d at 532. But see Fox v. Johnson, 243 N.C. App. 274, 285, 777 S.E.2d
314, 324 (2015) (“It is well settled that ‘[a] dismissal under [North Carolina Rule of
Civil Procedure] Rule 12(b)(6) operates as an adjudication on the merits unless the
court specifies that the dismissal is without prejudice.’” (emphasis supplied) (citation
omitted)). Further, Barnes-Jones’ second motions to dismiss asserted a different
basis of immunity than her first motions. Petrillo’s argument is without merit.
Bluebird, 188 N.C. App. at 678, 657 S.E.2d at 61.
This court possesses appellate jurisdiction to review Barnes-Jones’ arguments.
N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 1-277(a) and 7A-27(b)(3)(a) (2021); Stagecoach Vill., 360 N.C. at
47-48, 619 S.E.2d at 496; Thompson, 142 N.C. App. at 653, 543 S.E.2d at 903; Price,
132 N.C. App. at 558-59, 512 S.E.2d at 785; Green, 203 N.C. App. at 266, 273, 690
S.E.2d at 761, 765; Bartley, 381 N.C. at 293, 873 S.E.2d at 532.
III. Issue
A. Public Official Immunity
Barnes-Jones argues the trial court erred by denying her 12(b)(6) motion to
dismiss on the grounds of public official immunity.
1. Standard of Review
We review a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss de novo. Green, 203 N.C. App. at
266, 690 S.E.2d at 761.
The standard of review of an order granting a [motion to
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Opinion of the Court
dismiss pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1A-1, Rule 12(b)(6)]
is whether the complaint states a claim for which relief can
be granted under some legal theory when the complaint is
liberally construed and all the allegations included therein
are taken as true. On a motion to dismiss, the complaint’s
material factual allegations are taken as true.
Bissette v. Harrod, 226 N.C. App. 1, 7, 738 S.E.2d 792, 797 (2013) (citations omitted).
2. Analysis
The doctrines of sovereign immunity, governmental immunity, and public
official immunity overlap and are directly related:
In general, the doctrine of sovereign/governmental
immunity “provides the State, its counties, and its public
officials with absolute and unqualified immunity from
suits against them in their official capacity.” Under the
doctrine of sovereign immunity, it is the State of North
Carolina which “is immune from suit [in the absence of]
waiver[,]” whereas under the doctrine of governmental
immunity, counties and cities are “immune from suit for
negligence of [their] employees in the exercise of
governmental functions absent waiver of immunity.”
Wray v. City of Greensboro, 247 N.C. App. 890, 892, 787 S.E.2d 433, 436 (2016)
(citations omitted). In other words, whether sovereign immunity or governmental
immunity applies depends upon the identity and status of the defendant.
Public official immunity is derived and stems from both sovereign immunity
and governmental immunity, and its applicability depends upon whether the public
official’s employment and authority flows from the state or from a city or county. If
the public employee works for a city or county, their individual immunity for acts
committed within their scope of employment arises under and from the city or
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Opinion of the Court
county’s governmental immunity. See Fullwood v. Barnes, 250 N.C. App. 31, 38, 792
S.E.2d 545, 550 (2016) (“The defense of public official immunity is a ‘derivative form’
of governmental immunity.” (citation omitted)); Bartley, 381 N.C. at 294, 873 S.E.2d
at 533 (“Public official immunity, a judicially-created doctrine, is ‘a derivative form’
of governmental immunity which shields public officials from personal liability for
claims arising from discretionary acts or acts constituting mere negligence, by virtue
of their office, and within the scope of their governmental duties.”).
If the public official’s employment or authority flows from the State or a State
agency, whether the official may assert public official immunity as a defense to any
individual liability for purported negligent acts committed within the scope of their
employment derives from the state’s sovereign immunity. See Epps v. Duke Univ.,
Inc., 122 N.C. App. 198, 203, 468 S.E.2d 846, 850 (1996) (explaining “[a] suit against
a public official in his official capacity is basically a suit against the public entity (i.e.,
the state) he represents” and that “[o]fficial immunity is a derivative form of
sovereign immunity” (citations omitted)).
Public official immunity shields individuals, while serving as “public officials”,
from individual liability for negligence, “[a]s long as a public officer lawfully exercises
the judgment and discretion with which he is invested by virtue of his office, keeps
within the scope of his official authority, and acts without malice or corruption[.]”
Smith v. State, 289 N.C. 303, 331, 222 S.E.2d 412, 430 (1976) (citation omitted).
“Actions that are malicious, corrupt or outside of the scope of official duties will pierce
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Opinion of the Court
the cloak of official immunity[.]” Moore v. Evans, 124 N.C. App. 35, 42, 476 S.E.2d
415, 421 (1996) (citations omitted).
Public official immunity may be asserted by “public officials,” but not by “public
employees.” Hare v. Butler, 99 N.C. App. 693, 699-700, 394 S.E.2d 231, 236 (1990)
(explaining “[w]hen a governmental worker is sued individually, or in his or her
personal capacity, our courts distinguish between public employees and public
officials in determining negligence liability” (citations omitted)).
“Officers exercise a certain amount of discretion, while employees perform
ministerial duties.” Cherry v. Harris, 110 N.C. App. 478, 480, 429 S.E.2d 771, 773
(1993) (citation omitted). “Discretionary acts are those requiring personal
deliberation, decision[,] and judgment. Ministerial duties, on the other hand, are
absolute and involve merely the execution of a specific duty arising from fixed and
designated facts.” Isenhour v. Hutto, 350 N.C. 601, 610, 517 S.E.2d 121, 127 (1999)
(citations and quotations omitted).
Whether a public official may assert public official immunity depends upon
which capacity the public official is being sued. See Patrick v. N. Carolina Dep’t of
Health & Hum. Servs., 192 N.C. App. 713, 716, 666 S.E.2d 171, 173 (2008) (providing
“public official immunity only applies to claims brought against public officials in
their individual capacities” (emphasis supplied)); Taylor, 112 N.C. App. at 607, 436
S.E.2d at 279 (explaining governmental immunity only applies to county or city
officials sued in their official capacity).
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Opinion of the Court
Principals constitute “public officials” and are entitled to assert the absolute
defense of public official immunity. Farrell v. Transylvania Cty. Bd. of Educ., 175
N.C. App. 689, 695, 625 S.E.2d 128, 133 (2006) (“[T]his Court has recognized [ ] school
officials such as superintendents and principals perform discretionary acts requiring
personal deliberation, decision, and judgment.” (citing Gunter v. Anders, 114 N.C.
App. 61, 67-68, 441 S.E.2d 167, 171 (1994))).
Petrillo’s complaint specifically alleges she was suing Barnes-Jones “solely in
her individual capacity” for negligence that occurred while Barnes-Jones was “acting
in the course and scope of her employment, as an agent and public employee” of the
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education and as the principal of WCHS. Under
our precedents, Barnes-Jones’ employment as a high school principal qualifies her as
a public official. Id. She may properly assert public official immunity as an absolute
defense to suit. Smith, 289 N.C. at 331, 222 S.E.2d at 430; Moore, 124 N.C. App. at
42, 476 S.E.2d at 421.
Public official immunity shields Barnes-Jones from alleged negligent activities
conducted within the scope of her employment, if her official acts were taken without
malice or corruption. Id. Petrillo’s complaint does not specifically allege Barnes-
Jones’ alleged acts were malicious or corrupt. The trial court erred in denying
Barnes-Jones’ motions to dismiss based upon assertion of public official immunity.
IV. Conclusion
Barnes-Jones is not collaterally estopped from bringing her second Rule
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Opinion of the Court
12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, asserting public official immunity. This interlocutory
appeal is properly before us.
Petrillo’s failure to allege Barnes-Jones acted with malice or corruption bars
and defeats her negligent claim upon proper assertion of public official immunity. Id.See also White, 366 N.C. at 363, 736 S.E.2d at 168; Green, 203 N.C. App. at 266-67,
690 S.E.2d at 761. The trial judge erred by denying Barnes-Jones’ Rule 12(b)(6)
motion to dismiss asserting public official immunity. Id. We reverse the trial judge’s
order and remand for entry of an order granting Barnes-Jones’ motion to dismiss. It
is so ordered.
REVERSED AND REMANDED.
Judge COLLINS and Judge WOOD concur.
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