Simmons v. Rauser & Assoc., L.P.A. , 2011 Ohio 4510 ( 2011 )

[Cite as Simmons v. Rauser & Assoc., L.P.A., 2011-Ohio-4510.]
Court of Appeals of Ohio
EIGHTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
COUNTY OF CUYAHOGA
JOURNAL ENTRY AND OPINION
No. 96386
AARON SIMMONS
PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT
vs.
RAUSER & ASSOCIATES LPA, ET AL.
DEFENDANTS-APPELLEES
JUDGMENT:
AFFIRMED
Civil Appeal from the
Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas
Case No. CV-721101
BEFORE: S. Gallagher, J., Boyle, P.J., and E. Gallagher, J.
RELEASED AND JOURNALIZED: September 8, 2011
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT
Rosel C. Hurley, III
Arnuma Law
12800 Shaker Boulevard
Suite 230
Cleveland, Ohio 44120
ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEES
Jason D. Winter
Marianne K. Barsoum Stockett
Holly M. Wilson
Reminger Co., LPA
1400 Midland Building
101 Prospect Avenue, West
Cleveland, Ohio 44115-1093
SEAN C. GALLAGHER, J.:
{¶ 1} Plaintiff-appellant, Aaron Simmons, appeals the judgment of the
Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas that granted summary judgment in
favor of defendants-appellees Rauser & Associates LPA and Denise Bartlett.
For the reasons stated herein, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
{¶ 2} This is a legal malpractice action that arose from attorney Denise
Bartlett’s representation of Simmons in connection with a Chapter 7
bankruptcy filing, which was ultimately converted into a Chapter 13 filing.
Bartlett is an attorney with the law firm of Rauser & Associates LPA.
{¶ 3} Simmons instituted this action on March 12, 2010. In his
amended complaint, Simmons alleged that he retained Bartlett in connection
with a Chapter 7 bankruptcy and that he advised her that he had no interest
in a five-year Chapter 13 plan. He further alleged that Simmons advised him
to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy despite his income being over twice the allowed
income, that she told him to stop paying his bills, and that she advised him to
purchase a vehicle in order to defeat the Chapter 7 “means test” in violation of
federal bankruptcy laws. Following the filing by the U.S. Trustee of a motion
to dismiss for abuse, Simmons’s Chapter 7 filing was converted to a Chapter
13 filing in June 2008.
{¶ 4} The defendants filed a motion for summary judgment, arguing that
Simmons had failed to produce an expert report to establish that defendants
breached the standard of care or proximately caused him damages. The trial
court granted the motion, and this appeal followed. Simmons’s sole
assignment of error is as follows: “The trial court erred when it granted
summary judgment in favor of the defendant as a result of the plaintiff failing
to provide an expert witness report even though an expert report is not needed
because the actions of the defendant amounted to negligence per se.”
{¶ 5} Appellate review of summary judgment is de novo, governed by the
standard set forth in Civ.R. 56. Comer v. Risko, 106 Ohio St.3d 185,
2005-Ohio-4559, 833 N.E.2d 712, ¶ 8. Accordingly, we afford no deference to
the trial court’s decision and independently review the record to determine
whether summary judgment is appropriate. Hollins v. Shaffer, 182 Ohio
App.3d 282, 2009-Ohio-2136, 912 N.E.2d 637, ¶ 12. Under Civ.R. 56(C),
summary judgment is proper when the moving party establishes that “(1) no
genuine issue of any material fact remains, (2) the moving party is entitled to
judgment as a matter of law, and (3) it appears from the evidence that
reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion, and construing the evidence
most strongly in favor of the nonmoving party, that conclusion is adverse to
the party against whom the motion for summary judgment is made.” State ex
rel. Duncan v. Mentor City Council, 105 Ohio St.3d 372, 2005-Ohio-2163, 826
N.E.2d 832, ¶ 9, citing Temple v. Wean United, Inc. (1977), 50 Ohio St.2d 317,
327, 364 N.E.2d 267.
{¶ 6} Simmons’s complaint alleges that defendants are liable for legal
malpractice committed in connection with their representation of him in the
Chapter 7 bankruptcy. “To establish a cause of action for legal malpractice
based on negligent representation, a plaintiff must show (1) that the attorney
owed a duty or obligation to the plaintiff, (2) that there was a breach of that
duty or obligation and that the attorney failed to conform to the standard
required by law, and (3) that there is a causal connection between the conduct
complained of and the resulting damage or loss.” Vahila v. Hall (1997), 77
Ohio St.3d 421, 674 N.E.2d 1164, syllabus. The plaintiff’s failure to prove any
one of these elements entitles the defendant-attorney to summary judgment.
Woodrow v. Heintschel, Lucas App. No. L–10–1206, 2011-Ohio-1840, ¶ 17;
Williams-Roseman v. Owen (Sept. 21, 2000), Franklin App. No. 99AP-871.
{¶ 7} Here, it is undisputed that Bartlett represented Simmons in the
bankruptcy proceeding. Accordingly, she had a duty to “‘exercise the
knowledge, skill, and ability ordinarily possessed and exercised by members of
the legal profession similarly situated, and to be ordinarily and reasonably
diligent, careful, and prudent[.]’” See Palmer v. Westmeyer (1988), 48 Ohio
App.3d 296, 298, 549 N.E.2d 1202, quoting 67 Ohio Jurisprudence 3d (1986)
16, Malpractice, Section 9.
{¶ 8} Simmons claims that when he retained Bartlett, he informed her
that he had no interest in a Chapter 13 plan and that he wanted a Chapter 7
bankruptcy with an elimination of all debts. He further asserts that Bartlett
was negligent in her representation by advising him to proceed with a Chapter
7 filing, advising him to stop paying his bills while she proceeded with the
elimination of his debts, and advising him to purchase a vehicle, allegedly in
order to deceive the Chapter 7 means test. According to the defendants,
although Simmons’s income exceeded the amount for a Chapter 7 filing, he
could still pass the means test calculation.1
{¶ 9} Generally, expert testimony is required to establish the breach of
duty, unless the breach is so obvious that it may be determined by the court as
a matter of law, or is within the ordinary knowledge of a lay person. Bloom v.
Dieckmann (1983), 11 Ohio App.3d 202, 464 N.E.2d 187, syllabus; see, also,
McInnis v. Hyatt Legal Clinics (1984), 10 Ohio St.3d 112, 113, 461 N.E.2d
1295. Initially, we recognize that the requirements for a Chapter 7
bankruptcy and the application of the means test are not matters within the
ordinary knowledge of the layman. Furthermore, Simmons’s allegations are
unsupported by any evidence in the record and he has failed to demonstrate
that the alleged advice to purchase a vehicle constituted negligence as a
matter of law.2 Expert testimony was therefore necessary to support a cause
of action for malpractice. Additionally, Simmons failed to demonstrate
whether the alleged malpractice proximately caused any actual damages.
Without any affirmative evidence, we are simply left with an unsuccessful
Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
1
11 U.S.C. § 707(b)(1) establishes the means test to determine whether a presumption of
abuse arises in a debtor’s bankruptcy case.
2
The provisions to which he cites, 18 U.S.C. § 152 and 157, do not clearly establish
negligence per se.
{¶ 10} Therefore, we find the trial court properly awarded summary
judgment in favor of the defendants.
{¶ 11} Judgment affirmed.
It is ordered that appellees recover from appellant costs herein taxed.
The court finds there were reasonable grounds for this appeal.
It is ordered that a special mandate issue out of this court directing the
common pleas court to carry this judgment into execution.
A certified copy of this entry shall constitute the mandate pursuant to
Rule 27 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure.
SEAN C. GALLAGHER, JUDGE
MARY J. BOYLE, P.J., and
EILEEN A. GALLAGHER, J., CONCUR