WILLIAM S. HAMILTON, APPELLANTS,
v.
BANK OF PALM BEACH AND TRUST COMPANY, ETC., ET AL., APPELLEES

Fla. 4th DCA | 1977-07-15
No. 76-1465
CROSS and ANSTEAD, JJ., concur.
348 So. 2d 1190 Florida District Court of Appeal, Fourth District (1977) Positive Treatment
Cited by 6 cases

AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.

Synopsis

The Fourth District Court of Appeal reversed a summary judgment foreclosing Hamilton's mortgage interest, holding that the bank failed to meet its burden of proving there were no genuine issues of fact regarding Hamilton's claimed interest in the property. The court clarified that a defendant need not file affirmative proof opposing a summary judgment motion until the movant first establishes that no factual disputes exist.


Holding

Summary judgment was improper because the bank, as the moving party, failed to adduce evidence showing that Hamilton's claimed interest was genuinely not in dispute. The burden rests on the summary judgment movant to affirmatively prove the absence of factual disputes, and until that burden is met, the non-movant need not file proof in opposition.


Headnotes

[1] A party moving for summary judgment bears the burden of affirmatively demonstrating that no genuine issue of material fact exists.

[2] A non-moving party is not required to present evidence to oppose a summary judgment motion until the moving party has adduced proof that the issues raised by the pleading…

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Key Quotes

“the burden of proof on motion for summary judgment is upon the movant to affirmatively demonstrate that none of the issues of fact ostensibly raised by the pleadings is in actuality in dispute. Until the movant adduces some proof that no issue raised by the non-movant's pleading is genuine the non-movant need not file any proof to oppose the motion.”

Establishes the fundamental rule that the summary judgment movant bears the burden of proving absence of factual disputes and that the non-movant need not respond until this burden is met.

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Facts & Procedural History

The Bank of Palm Beach held a promissory note and mortgage on real property and sought foreclosure based on the mortgagor's default. Hamilton claimed …

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Opinion of the Court
DOWNEY, Judge.

DOWNEY, Judge.

We have for review a summary final judgment foreclosing a mortgage. We find genuine issues of fact which preclude summary judgment against the appellant and reverse.

In material part, the complaint alleged that (a) the appellee Bank was the owner and holder of a promissory note and mortgage encumbering the real property in question and that said note was in default; (b) appellant William S. Hamilton might claim some interest in said property by virtue of a notice of lis pendens recorded in the public records of Palm Beach County; and (c) appellant’s interest, if any, in the property was subject and inferior to the Bank’s mortgage lien.

Appellant filed an answer which stated “that the [appellant] is without knowledge as to all allegations in said Complaint, and therefore, denies same and demands strict proof thereof.”

The Bank moved for summary judgment and attached several affidavits which clearly demonstrated there was no genuine issue of fact as to the ownership of the note and mortgage, the default, and the Bank’s right to foreclose the mortgagor’s interest in the property. However, not a scintilla of evidence was offered to show that Hamilton’s asserted interest in the property was inferior to the Bank’s mortgage. The cases are legion and need no citation that the burden of proof on motion for summary judgment is upon the movant to affirmatively demonstrate that none of the issues of fact ostensibly raised by the pleadings is in actuality in dispute. Until the movant adduces some proof that no issue raised by the non-movant’s pleading is genuine the non-movant need not file any proof to oppose the motion.

Appellees contend in their brief that:

“Mr. Hamilton failed to offer any affirmative defense in his answer and likewise failed to direct any counterclaim or crossclaim against any defendant, if he had any grounds for doing so and from that point on he was in default in his pleading of any affirmative matters.

“In addition, the defendant, William S. Hamilton, defaulted when the plaintiff made a motion for summary judgment on or about May 12, 1976. A copy of the motion and the supporting affidavits were served upon the attorney of record, for William S. Hamilton and no defense was interposed by appellant to the motion for summary judgment.”

* # # * # *

“Whether the Plaintiff in its complaint had alleged Mr. Hamilton had a one-half interest in the property or whether he might ‘claim some interest in and to the aforesaid described real property . .’ as alleged in the complaint is immaterial as a practical matter for all purposes of this action and this appeal.

“The burden was on defendant Hamilton to protect his own interests and not to rely upon the mortgagee to recognize decide or acknowledge that he had an undivided half interest which the mortgagee could not know and which was entirely secondary to the rights of the mortgagee based upon its purchase money mortgage.”

Finally, in the conclusion to their brief appellees state:

“After the commencement of the foreclosure action the record does not show that the Appellant made any payments on the account of the mortgage or on the arrears. He advanced no affirmative defense in his answer to the complaint, he did not oppose the application for summary judgment and cannot now be heard to bring up matters on appeal which as he claims might have been brought up in his pleadings.” It appears to us that appellees’ contentions miss the mark. Appellant filed an answer which put in issue the allegations of the Bank’s Complaint vis-a-vis the appellants. An affirmative defense or counterclaim was not necessary. With the pleadings in that posture the burden of proof was upon the Bank and until the Bank as the movant for summary judgment adduced some evidence that its mortgage was superior to appellant’s claim, appellant was required to do nothing. This case is a classic example of the failure of the movant to show that the paper issue raised by appellant’s answer is not genuine. Having failed to make that showing the entry of a summary judgment against Hamilton was improper. Accordingly, the summary final judgment appealed from is reversed as to appellant and the cause is remanded for further proceedings.

REVERSED AND REMANDED, with directions.

CROSS and ANSTEAD, JJ., concur.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Carnes v. T.D. Fender, 936 So. 2d 11 (Fla. 4th DCA 2006)
    …-ant has tendered competent evidence in support of its motion does the burden shift and fall on the other party to come forward with opposing evidence to show that a question of material fact exists.” Id.; Hamilton v. Bank of Palm Beach & Trust Co., 348 So. 2d 1190, 1191 (Fla. 4th DCA 1977). To avoid summary judgment, a litigant does not have to provide clear and convincing evidence that issues of material fact exist. Collins v. Brigman, 428 So. 2d 373, 374 (Fla. 5th DCA 1983). For purposes of a motion for sum…
  • Puritan Ins. Co. v. Frank, 436 So. 2d 1140 (Fla. 3d DCA 1983)
    …to the insurer’s affirmative defenses of: (a) conversion; and (b) geographical areas of coverage. For this reason, the summary final judgment on coverage is reversed and remanded for further proceedings. Hamilton v. Bank of Palm Beach and Trust Co., 348 So. 2d 1190 (Fla. 4th DCA 1977). That portion of the summary judgment determining non-subrogation is vacated to abide the final resolution of the identical problem presently pending in the federal court system. See Wade v. Clower, 94 Fla. 817, 114 So. 548 (19…
  • Sostchin v. Cont'l Nat'l Bank & Walter Goodrich, 360 So. 2d 1125 (Fla. 3d DCA 1978)
    …e had expired by the time of the foreclosure does not, of itself, show that the option was without legal effect. Cf. the considerations of law in Behrman v. Max, 102 Fla. 1094, 137 So. 120, 122 (1931). In Hamilton v. Bank of Palm Beach & Trust Co., 348 So. 2d 1190 (Fla. 4th DCA 1977), the court dealt with a similar situation and held that where the defendant filed an answer which put in issue the allegations of the complaint, an affirmative defense or counterclaim was not necessary. The burden of proof was up…

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