Hummel v. Hall

Filing 29

MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by Judge Norman K. Moon on October 18, 2012. (sfc)

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r mnts oFF1 u. .DIT. ; c; s s COURT A LN IE R V T Y FI D G A CO U L IN THE U NI TED STATES DI STRI C OURT CT FOR THE W ESTERN D I STRI OF V I NI CT RGI A LYNCHBURG Dl s ON vI I 221 18 2 1 ,2 JU BY; ' C. DUD u CLERK CLERK CAS N0.6: 1 c 0001 E 1 - v2 MI CHAEL J.HUMM EL, Pli tf a nf M EM OM NDUM OPI ON NI D AVI W . ALL,TA COUNT M OTOR SALES D H / RY Dee da t f n n. J UDGE N ORM AN K . OON M Thi m a tr i bef e t Cour on Pl ntf M ihae J Humm els moton f a s te s or he t ai if c l . ' i or s e ntla r ofat ne sf s( ke no.28) Fort r s t tf l lwilgrnt upplme a wad tor y' ee doc t . he ea ons ha olow, l a Pl ntf ' m oton. ai i f s i 1 PROCEDURAL H I TORY . S On M ay 2,2011 Pli iffl ac , a ntf ied ompl i ,a s tng ava it ofc am saga ns ant s eri re y l i i t Def nd tD a d H al,a1 ofw hi r l t d t Def nt ss l ofa ve cl t Pl ntf . 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Pl ntf alo pr vaied i li e ei e ona e tor y' e s s t o he t t t ai if s e l n z s o ppostont De e ii o f ndantsM o i n t Se AsdeDe a tJ m e . Asa r ul,lfnd t t ' to o t i f ul udg nt es t i ha Pl i ifi entte t r as na e at ne sf e i ured i de endi agans De e antf s ild o e o bl tor y' e s nc r n f ng i t f ndan ' posts t j d me t to Th o l rmann ts i t c n ie t er a o a e e so t en t o u g n moin. e ny e iig a k s o o sd r h e s n bln s f h momt f f spli ifha r quese s1305 = d hi a c i f s h an a r ee antf s e t d- , s c ountng or uc wa d. TheUnied St t sCour ofAppe sf t Fo t Cicui ha a e t l desa t ae t al or he urh r t s dopt d he o t r m ehod ofdeer ni t r as bl nes ofat ne sf es Se Br zi v Run t t mi ng he e ona e s tor y' e . e od ak . yon,1 F. 45 3d 1 1 (t Ci.1998 .l t FourhCic tt l sa fg ei cac aedby muli yi 94, 96 4h r ) n he t rui,he odetr iur s lult tpl ng t numberofr a ona ehour e nde by ar s na er t whih i de e mi i lghtof1 he e s bl s xpe d ea o bl ae, c s t r ned n i 2 fco s E. O. v Sev.Ne Co. 898F. 958,965(t Ci.1 .I my e riropi on a tr . E. C. . r ws , 2d 4h r 990) n ale ni gr ntngPl i ifsorgi r ques f a t ne sf e ,1f nd t tar e of$290 pe hou wa a a i antf ' i nal e t or tor y' e s ou ha at r r s r as bl a pr aii mar tr t f rPl ntf ' ator i Lync g,Vigi a Pl i if s e ona e nd ev lng ke ae o ai ifs t ney n hbur r ni . antf' a t ne s tor y ubmit d a a fda tsai t thes n tveho spr pa i f a r s ndi t te n fi vi t tng ha pe t i ur e rng or nd e po ng o De e f ndantsm oton,r uli i at all t rfgur of$145 I a exe cie ofbilng ' i es tng n ot odesa i e , 0. n n r s li dic etgn,c ns r duc hi r que tby 1 t a countf a e es i trot rnons r i ou el e ed s e s 0% o c or ny xc sve ) he c ompe a e a tvii ,t uli a ey as ng f a a d of$1350. ns bl c i tes hus tm t l ki or n war , Iorgi l a r d Pl i ifa t ne sf esi t a oun of$9, 05 f t i naly wa de antf tor y' e n he m t 786. or he unde l ng TI cli . l my pr vi opi on, not d t tt f esa a de we ene ry fve ryi LA am n e ous ni 1 e ha he e w r d r a l i tmesgr a e t n t t ala ou ofda a sa r i e t r ha he ot m nt m ge wa ded.I e pl ni why s h a a r wa n x ai ng uc n wa d s r s bl ,ldr w a ana ogy t t c extofc tt tonalt tltgaton,whe e t Supr m e ea ona e e n l o he ont ons iu i or ii i r he e Co r çee te )t p o o i o ta fea r su d rj 1 8 s o dn c s aiyb u té j cgd he r p st n h t e wa d n e 9 8 h ul e e s rl e r i p o o t n t t t ea u t d ma e acvirg t p an ifa tal r c v r. Ci o r p ri ae o h mo n of a g s i l ih s litf cu ly e o e s' t f o ' y Rie sdev Rier 477U. 561 574( 986) I c ume ce tca e ,a i ci lrght c es v r i . v a, S. , 1 . n ons r rdi s s s n vi i s as , t l w mone a y val ofcl msc n ç s otr vi ouse or m e ofc ume pr t c i he o tr ue ai a t c tage gor di nf ce nt ons r o e ton s a ut . Cr y v E.H al tr s s,P. . . , o.5: cv- O7,2007 W L 67 t t es ' o . ' l f As oc . L L C. N 06- 001 6698, t*3 a ( . Va M a . , 0 7 .Tha ben s i , we e ,h S p e Co r d dr c g iei Ci o W D. . r 2 2 0 ) t ig ad ho v rt e u rme u t i e o n z n t f y Rier i t tt hea ountofda v sde ha s m t mage apl ntf r c r i c ti y r e ntt t a s ai if e ove s s era nl elva o he mountof a t ne sf st beawa de ' sE ofm a f c or t tac ts ul eonsde .' 477 U . a tor y' ee o r d'a t one ny a t s ha our ho d i r' S. t I t sca e 1fnd t tt a ountoft pr vi usa r c n hi s , i ha he m he e o wa d ombi wih t dipa iy ned t he s rt bt e t a e we n he mountofda mage a t a omtofa tm e sf e a a de we ghsi f vorof s nd he m t to y' e s w r d i n a r uci Pl i if s l t fgur , a dIfn ta ara o befefrtepo tj d me t ed ng a ntf ' odesar i e n id h t e s na l e o h s-u g n pr e di i $5 Unlket unde l ng c us ofaci , t l w r gar ng whet rt s t oc e ngs s 00. i he ryi a e ton he a e di he o e a iead fulj d me ti ce ra sr ih fr r I a di o , n d tre tefc o ft r sd ea t u g n s la nd tag towad. n d t n a y ee rn fe t n uu e i vi a i nsby t sD e enda orot r hasale dy bee a hi ved by t orgi la d off e . ol to hi f nt he s ra n c e he i na war es Si ia l gi n t tc m lry, ve ha ouns i t sc ehasar ad r c ve a s t nta a r off st t el n hi as le y e ei d ubsa i l wa d ee ha mac e h so i ia rq e t g a tn tef lld sa a u t o t p t u g n wo kwo l th d i rgn l e u s, r ni g h ul o e tr mo n f r he os- d me t r ud j ha ltl addii efe ton t wilngne sofat ne t t ke on s h ca e . The 1w doe ve ite tonal f c he li s tor ys o a uc s s a s p o iet a c u e s udr c i ra o a ec mp n ainf rh sp t u g n wo k a dl r vd h t o ns l ho l e eve e s n bl o e s to o i os- d me t r , n j t r f r fnd t t$500 pr de r as bl c pe ai n wihoutbeng e es i . he e o e i ha ovi s e ona e om ns to t i xc sve I . ONCLUS ON V C I For t f egoi r a ons Pl ntf s m oton f r a t y' f es a c t s l be he or ng e s , ai i f i o tonw s e nd os s ha l g a e An or rwilis a z ng Pli tf a t ne sf si t a oun of$500. r ntd. de l s ue wa di a n if tor y' ee n he m t 00. The Clr oft Cour i her by dieced t s nd a c rii co oft sm e o a ek he ts e r t o e e tfed py hi m r ndum opi on a t ac mpa ng or rt a1c ni nd he co nyi de o l ouns lofr cor a t De e nt e e d nd o f nda . I i s O RD ERED . ts o E trdti 1 +- a o- tbr nee hs î- d y t o e 2012. oc , - > NO AN K.M O UN I TED STATES D I TRI J S CT UDO E

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