STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA                            IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

FORSYTH COUNTY                                                        SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

 

PHILIP A.R. STATON, et al.   Plaintiffs,   v.   JERRI RUSSELL, et al.   Defendants, Cross-Claimants and Third-Party Defendants.	) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )	CIVIL ACTION NO: 96 CvS 1409
INGEBORG STATON, et al.   Plaintiffs,   v.   CENTURA BANK, et al.   Defendants and Third-Party Defendants.	) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )	CIVIL ACTION NO: 96 CvS 7224
PIEDMONT INSTITUTE OF PAIN MANAGEMENT, et al.   Plaintiffs,   v.   CENTURA BANK, et al.   Defendants and Third-Party Defendants.	) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )	CIVIL ACTION NO: 96 CvS 7140
INGEBORG STATON, et al.,   Plaintiffs,   v.   CENTURA BANK, et al.   Defendants.	) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )	CIVIL ACTION NO: 99 CvS 5156

 

 

 

 

CENTURA DEFENDANTS’ RENEWED MOTION TO DISMISS THE SPOLIATION OF EVIDENCE CLAIMS ASSERTED BY INGEBORG STATON, MERCEDES STATON, THE 1991 REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST OF INGEBORG STATON, AND THE 1993 REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST OF MERCEDES STATON

 

Centura Bank, George R. Jarvis, and Danny Wrenn (collectively the “Centura Defendants”), by and through their undersigned counsel, and pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) of the North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure, respectfully renew their motions to dismiss the claims asserted by Ingeborg Staton, Mercedes Staton, the 1991 Revocable Living Trust of Ingeborg Staton, and the 1993 Revocable Living Trust of Mercedes Staton (collectively the “Ingeborg Plaintiffs”) for spoliation of evidence.  The Centura Defendants originally filed their motions to dismiss the Ingeborg Plaintiffs’ claims for spoliation of evidence on June 22, 2000.  Specifically, these three motions sought the dismissal of the Ingeborg Plaintiffs’ 33^rd Claim for Relief in 96 CvS 1409, 32^nd Claim for Relief in 96 CvS 7224 and 32^nd Claim for Relief in 96 CvS 7140, respectively.

North Carolina law does not recognize an independent, general tort claim for spoliation of evidence.  Rather, the Court of Appeals has recently held that if a party establishes spoliation of evidence by another party, then the party asserting spoliation is entitled to an evidentiary inference (and jury instruction) that the evidence destroyed would injure the spoliator’s case.  See McLain v. Taco Bell Corp., 527 S.E.2d 712, 716 (N.C. App.), rev. den., 352 N.C. 357 (2000); Red Hill Hosiery Mill, Inc. v. MagneTek, Inc., 530 S.E.2d 321, 328 (N.C. App. 2000), rev. den., 2000 N.C. LEXIS 1008 (N.C. Dec. 20, 2000).  Neither McLain nor Red Hill Hosiery state that the plaintiff may have had an independent claim for relief based on the alleged spoliation.  These cases embrace the modern trend and majority view that an evidentiary inference is sufficient to prevent and punish spoliation of evidence.  See, e.g., Goff v. Harold Ives Trucking Co., Inc., 342 Ark. 143, ___ S.W.3d ___, slip op. at 4 (Ark. Sept. 28, 2000); Cedars-Sinai Medical Center v. Superior Court, 954 P.2d 511 (Cal. 1998); Meyn v. State, 594 N.W.2d 31 (Iowa 1999); Trevino v. Ortega, 969 S.W.2d 950 (Tex. 1998); Elias v. Lancaster, 710 A.2d 65 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1998); Lucas v. Christiana Skating Center, Ltd., 722 A.2d 1247 (Del. Super. Ct. 1998); Monsanto v. Reed, 950 S.W.2d 811 (Ky. 1997); Christian v. Kenneth Chandler Constr. Co., 658 So.2d 408 (Ala. 1995); Murphy v. Target Products, 580 N.E.2d 687 (Ind. App. 1991); Gardner v. Blackstone, 365 S.E.2d 545 (Ga. App. 1988); Koplin v. Rosel Well Perforators, Inc., 734 P.2d 1177 (Kan. 1987); LaRaia v. Superior Court, 722 P.2d 286 (Ariz. 1986); Miller v. Montgomery County, 494 A.2d 761 (Md. App. 1985).

The Ingeborg Plaintiffs’ 33^rd Claim for Relief in 96 CvS 1409, their 32^nd Claim for Relief in 96 CvS 7224 and their 32^nd Claim for Relief in 96 CvS 7140 attempt to state general, independent claims for spoliation of evidence and seek to recover broad, general damages.  As North Carolina does not recognize an independent, general tort claim for spoliation of evidence, the Ingeborg Plaintiffs’ claims for spoliation of evidence should be dismissed pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) of the North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.

Respectfully submitted, this the   5^th   day of February, 2001.              

 

 

_______________________

Daniel W. Fouts

N. C. State Bar No. 1508

 

 

_______________________

Robert G. Baynes

N. C. State Bar No. 252

 

 

                                                                                    _______________________

W. Winburne King, III

N. C. State Bar No. 6709

 

 

 

OF COUNSEL:

 

ADAMS KLEEMEIER HAGAN HANNAH & FOUTS

A Professional Limited Liability Company

Lake Point

701 Green Valley Road, Suite 100

Post Office Box 3463

Greensboro, NC  27402

(336) 373‑1600

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

 

            The undersigned hereby certifies that a copy of the foregoing CENTURA DEFENDANTS’ RENEWED MOTION TO DISMISS THE SPOLIATION OF EVIDENCE CLAIMS ASSERTED BY INGEBORG STATON, MERCEDES SATON, THE 1991 REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST OF INGEBORG STATON, AND THE 1993 REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST OF MERCEDES STATON was duly served upon counsel and unrepresented parties in accordance with the provisions of Rule 5 of the North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure by hand delivery:

 

 

and depositing it in the United States Mail, first-class postage prepaid upon the following:

Larry B. Sitton, Esq. Smith Helms Mulliss & Moore, L.L.P. Post Office Box 21927                         Greensboro, NC 27420	George W. Boylan, Esq. Special Deputy Attorney General Post Office Box 629 Raleigh, NC 27602-0629
Richard V. Bennett, Esq. Bennett & Guthrie, L.L.P. 1560 Westbrook Plaza Drive Winston-Salem, NC 27103	Robert M. Elliot, Esq. Elliot Pishko Gelbin & Morgan, P.A. Post Office Box 20545 Winston-Salem, NC 27120-0545
James W. McGrath, Esq. Piedmont Institute of Pain Management 1100-C S. Stratford Road, Suite 305 Winston-Salem, NC 27103	Reginald F. Combs, Esq. Blanco Tackabery Combs & Matamoros, P.A. Post Office Box 25008 Winston-Salem, NC 27104
Mr. Samuel Thomas Brame Post Office Box 11375 Winston-Salem, NC 27116	Ms. Jerri S. Russell Post Office Box 30218 Winston-Salem, NC 27130
Jeffrey S. Lisson, Esq. 120 Fayette Street Winston-Salem, NC 27101

 

            This the    5^th    day of February, 2001.

 

                                                                                    _________________________________

                                    Daniel W. Fouts