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MAR 19 2Q08

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THE COURT OF APPEALS

ELEVENTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

TRUMBULL COUNTY, OHIO

CI^ ^^LS

DEC 2 6 Z'nJ7

TRU,U1bUtl COUVT`^ OhiKA^iEiU IIVfANTEr^LtEPJ, CLEi1K

DELORES KARNOFEL, O P I N I O N

Plaintiff-Ptppellant,

-vs-

KMART CORPORATION, et al.,

Defendants-Appellees.

CASE NOS. 2007-T-0036and 2007-T-0064

Civil Appeal from the Court of Common Pleas, Case No. 2006 CV 1266.

Judgment: Affirmed Case No. 2007-T-0036; Dismissed Case No: 2007-T-0064.

Delores Kamofel, pro se, 1528 Greenwood Avenue, Girard, OH 44420 (Plaintiff-Appellant).

Elisabeth D. Gentile and Juan Jose Perez, Perez and Morris, L.L.C., 8000 Ravine'sEdge Court, Suite 300, Columbus, OH 43235-3235 (For Defendant-Appellee, KmartCorporation).

Margo S. Meola, Comstock, Springer & Wilson Co., L.P.A., 100 Federal Plaza East,Suite 926, Youngstown, OH 44503-1811 (For Defendant-Appellee, D.R. Herbert FoodEquipment, lnc.);

MARY JANE TRAPP; J.

{¶1} Appellant, Delores Kamofel ("Ms. Karnofel"), appeals in Case No. 2007-T-

0036 the Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas' January 22, 2007 order granting

summary judgment in favor of defendants-appellees Kmart Corporation ("Kmart") and

D.R. Herbert Food Equiprnent, Inc. ("D.R. Herbert"). Ms. Karnofel also appeals in Case

No. 2007-T-0064 the Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas' June 5, 2007 order

denying her motion for leave to amend her complaint. The two appeals were

consolidated for our review. For the reasons that follow, we affirm the decision of the

trial court in Case No. 2007-T-0036 and dismiss the appeal in Case No. 2007-T-0064.

{¶2} Statement and Facts and Procedural History

{¶3} On May 22, 2004, Ms. Karnofel sustained injuries to her right knee and

right hip while riding on and operating an electric mobility cart while shopping at the

Kmart store located at Niles-Cortland Road in Warren, Ohio. On May 18, 2006, Ms.

Karnofel filed a pro se complaint against Kmart and D.R. Herbert alleging that the

defendants "engaged in the manufacturing, distribution and service business of electric

mobility carts" and that the defendants negligently maintained the cart on which she was

riding, which caused her to be thrown forward and to sustain injuries.

{1[4} O.n September 7, 2006, D.R. Herbert filed a motion for summary

judgment.. Attached to the motion was the affidavit of the company's president, David

R. Herbert ("Mr. Herbert"). In the affidavit, he averred that D.R. Herbert does not

manufacture, distribute, rent, or supply any make or model of any type of electric

mobility cart. Mr: Herbert conceded that the company services mobility carts and that it

placed its serviceaabels on the carts at Kmart. However, he averred that no one at D.R.

Herbert ever received a service call from Kmart nor did it ever service any electric

mobility carts at the Kmart store in question. Mr. Herbert said that he told Ms. Karnofel

that the company had never serviced any carts from Kmart prior to her filing the lawsuit

{15} On December 6, 2006; defendant Kmart filed a motion for summary

judgment. Kmart maintained that there were no genuine issues of material fact because

Ms. Karnofel could not identify which electric cart was allegedly negligently maintained.

Furthermore, according to the attached affidavit of Kmart's loss prevention associate, all

carts were tested but no operational problems or defects were found with any of the

carts. He further averred that Ms. Karnofel had called him two days after the accident

and that he had asked her to come into the store to fill out an incident report, but she

had failed to do so.

{¶6} In an entry dated January 18, 2007 and journalized on January 22, 2007,

the trial court granted .summary judgment in favor of defendants. Also on January 22,

2007, but after the summary judgment entry had been filed, Ms. Karnofel filed a motion

for leave to file an amended complaint. She sought to amend the complaint to add two

newpaities: "name unknown" and Amigo Mobility,'an entity she believed manufactured

the mobility carts. She further alleged that due to her thyroid condition she had difficulty

concentrating and failed to include in her original complaint a claim that there were

obstacles (a pole and a fire e)tinguisher) that obstructed her safe entranceway into the

aisle where the accident occurred.

{¶7} On March 15, 2007, Ms. Karnofel appealed the trial court's granting of

summary judgment.' Subsequently, on May 21, 2007, Ms. Karnofel filed her second

.motion to amend the complaint again alleging that since D.R. Herbert was not the

manufacturer of the cart, it was necessary to name Amigo Mobility International, Inc.

She further alleged thather injuries were caused by the difficult layout of the store. In

an order dated. June 5, 2007, the trial court denied Ms. Karnofel's motion to amend the

1. The notice of appeal was filed on March 15, 2007 in Case No. 2007-T-0036 but was deemed timelyfiled because although the court's order was journalized on January 22, 2007, service was not perfected

complaint on the ground that because it already granted summary judgment and

entered a final judgment, it no longer retained jurisdiction over the case. Ms. Karnofel

appealed that order, which forms the basis of Case No. 2007-T-0064.

{¶8} Ms. Karnofel raises five assignments of error in Case No. 2007-T-0036:

{¶9) "[1.] The lower court abused its discretion when it failed to grant plaintiff's

leave of court to amend complaint and approve statement of evidence.

{¶10} "[2] The lower court abused its discretion by issuing a judgment that was

not supported by reliable evidence.

{¶11} "[3.] PlaintifPs constitutional right to the fourteenth amendment-due

process of law was denied.

{¶12} "[4] The lower court abused its discretion by committing prejudicial and

reversible error by granting summary judgment for defendants:

{¶13} "[5] By plaintiff failing to compel the lower court to approve statement of

evidence and leave to amend complaint, as well as failing to compel defendants to

answer interrogatories, does not prevent plaintiff from recovering damages."

{¶14} The January 22, 2007 order from which Ms: Karnofel appeals from in

Case No. 2007-T-0036 granted summary judgment in favor of Kmart and D.R. Herbert.

Although Ms; Karnofel raises other issues in this appeal, including the issue ofin!hether

the trial court erred in failing to allow her to amend her complaint and approve her

"statement of evidence," as we stated in our September 20, 2007 judgment entry, we

are limited in our discussion to the trial court judgment on appeal which granted

summary judgment in favor of appellees. Thus, the only pertinent issue befcie usis

whether summary judgment was properly granted in appellees' favor.

{¶15} Standard of Review

{¶16} Summary judgment is appropriate under Civ.R. 56(C) when (1) there is no

genuine issue of material fact remaining to be litigated; (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 viewing the evidence in favor of the

nonmoving party, that conclusion favors the moving party. Temple v. Wean United, Inc.

(1977), 50 Ohio St.2d 317, 327.

{117} "This court reviews de novo a trial court's order granting summary

judgment." Hudspath v. Cafaro Co., 11th Dist. No. 2004-A-0073,. 2005-Ohio-6911, ¶8,

citing Hagood v. Conrad, 11th Dist. No. 2000-T-0058, 2002-Ohio-3363, ¶13. "A

reviewing court will apply the same standard a trial court is required to apply, Which is to

determine whether any genuine issues of material fact exist and whether the moving

party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." Id.

{¶18} "Since summary judgment denies the party his or her'day in court' it is not

to be viewed lightly as docket control or as a'little trial.' The jurisprudence of'summary

judgment standards has placed burdens on both the moving and the nonmoving party.

I^ ^ Dresher v. Burt, the Supreme Court of Ohio held that the moving party seeking

summary judgment bears the initial burden of informing the trial court of the basis for the

motion and identifying those portions of the record before the trial court that

demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue

noranioving party's claim. The evidence must be in the record or the motion cann,ot

succeed. The moving party cannot discharge its initial burden under Civ.R. 56 simpl

by making a conclusory assertion that the nonmoving party has no evidence to prove its

case but must be able to specifically point to some evidence of the type listed in Civ.R.

56(C) that affirmatively demonstrates that the nonmoving party has no evidence to

support the nonmoving party's claims. If the moving party fails to satisfy its initial

burden, the motion for summary judgment must be denied. If the moving party has

satisfied its initial burden, the nonmoving party has a reciprocal burden outlined in the

last sentence of Civ.R. 56(E) to set forth specific facts showing.there is a genuine issue

for trial. If the nonmoving party fails to do so, summary judgment, if appropriate shall be

entered against the nonmoving party based on the principles that have been firmly

established in Ohio for quite some time in Misteff v. Wheeler (1988), 38 Ohio St.3d

112." Welch v. Ziccarelli, 11th Dist. No. 2006-L-229, 2007-Ohio-4374, at ¶40.

{119} "The court in Dresher went on to say that paragraph three of the syllabus

in Wing v. Anchor 1Vledia, Ltd. of Texas (1991), 59 Ohio St.3d 108, is too broad and fails'-

to account for the burden Civ.R. 56 places upon a moving party. The court, therefore,

limited paragraph three of the syllabus in Wing to bring it into conformity with Misteff..

(Emphasis added.)" Id. at ¶41. -

{120} "The Supreme Court in Dresher went on to hold that when neither the

moving nor nonmoving party provides evidentiary materials demonstrating that there are

no material facts in dispute, the moving party is not entitled a judgment as a mafter of

law as the moving party bears the initial responsibility of informing the trial court of the

basis for the motion, `and identifying those portions of the record which demonstrate the

ahsence of a aenuine issue of faet on a material elemenf nf the nnmmnvina nartv's

(¶21} Whether Granting of Summary Judgment Was An Abuse of

Discretion

{¶22} Ms. Karnofel contends that summary judgment was inappropriately

granted in appellees' favor. She argues that Kmart owed her a duty of care to guard

against any dangerous conditions in the store and that Kmart should have posted

warning signs alerting customers to ride the electric mobility carts at their own risk and

should have also warned patrons of "hidden dangers, due to the layout of the store."

{¶23} Ms. Karnofel's complaint alleged that the defendants were engaged in the

manufacturing, distribution and service business of electric mobility carts, and that she

was injured as a result of the defendants' negligence in failing to reasonably maintain

the cart. Summary judgment was properly granted in favor of D. R. Herbert since its

president established by affidavit that the company did not service any of the electric

mobility carts at the Kmart store.

{¶24} With respect to. Kmart,. irr order to maintain an action for negligence, Ms..

Karnofel must show "the existence of a duty, a breach of that duty, and an: injury

proximately resulting therefrom." Texler v:. D.O. Summers (1988), 81 Ohio St.3d 677,

680; Lewis v. Ritondaro Funeral Home, lnc.; 11th Dist. No. 2006-G-2693, 2007-Ohio-

463, at 119. tn its brief in support of its motion for summary judgment, the affidavit of

Kmart's loss prevention associate established that all carts_were tested and found to be

in working order. Thus, although Kmart owed Ms. Karnofel, as a business invitee, a

duty of care to provide her with premises in a reasonably safe condition (see Paschal v:

Rite Aid Pharmacy, lnc. (1985), 18 Ohio St.3d 203), there is no evidence that Kmart

breached that duty of care or caused Ms: Karnofel's injuries. Without proof of a

malfunctioning cart, Ms. Karnofel cannot establish that Kmart was negligent in failing to

reasonably maintain the cart. Ms. Karnofel's own statement that the cart malfunctioned

was not submitted in affidavit form and cannot be used to create an issue of fact on this

point.

{¶25} As the non-movant, Ms. Karnofel "bore the responsibility of, pointing to

some evidence in the record, and supporting it, to raise a genuine issue of material

fact." Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. v. Poppy, 11th Dist. No. 2003-L-134, 2004-Ohio-

5936, at ¶31, citing Civ.R.56(E), "When a motion.for summary judgment is made and

supported as provided in this rule, an adverse party may not rest upon the mere

allegations or denials of the party's pleadings,but the party's response, by affidavit or

as othenniise provided in this rule, must set forth specific facts showing that there is a

genuine issue for trial."

{126} We reject Ms. Karnofel's argument that the trial oourt should have

considered in opposition to the motions for summary judgment a letter she received

from Ohio Mobility, a company that allegedly received a service call to supply Kmart

with a battery charger fifteen months prior to the accident.' It was Ms. Karnofel's burden

to submit evidentiary materials in accordance with Civ.R. 56(E) setting forth specific

facts to demonstrate the existence of a genuine issue of material fact. Civ.R. 56(E)

specifically states that sworn or certified copies of documents must be submitted along

with.an affidavit. An unsworn letter is not#he type of evidence a trial court may consider

under Civ:R. 56:

{¶27} Although this may seem to be a technicality to a non-attorney, the Ohio

Rules of Civil' Procedure must be followed regardless of whether the litigant is

represented by counsel or appears pro se. As the court noted in State v. Pryor, 10th

Dist. No. 07-AP-90, 2007-Ohio-4275: "While one has the right to represent himself or

herself and one may proceed into litigation as a pro se litigant, the pro se litigant is to be

treated the same as one trained in the law as far as the requirement to follow procedural

law and the adherence to court rules.. If the courts treat pro se I.itigants differently, the

court begins to depart from its duty of impartiality and prejudices the handling of the

case as it relates to other litigants represented by counsel." Id: at ¶9, citing In Justice v.

Lutheran.Socia! Servs. (Apr. 9, 1993), 10th Dist. No. 92AP-1153, 1993 Ohio App. LEXIS

2029, 6. Thus, although we recognize the difficult task pro se litigants face when

representing themselves, we must adhere. to the established rule that "[p]ro se litigants

are held to the same standard as other litigants and are hot entitled to special

treatment." In Re: Salsgiver, 11th Dist. No. 2003-G-2514, 2003-Ohio-6420, at ¶46,

citing Kilroy v. B.H. Lakeshore Co. (1996), 111 Ohio App.3d 357, 361

{128} Because Ms. Karnofel did not comply with the requirement of Civ.R. 56(E)

and failed to rebut the affidavit of Kmart's loss prevention associate, yve find that the trial

court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to consider the letter from Ohio Mobility.

{129} Ms. Karnofel also argues that Kmart was negligent because the store

layout, with its narrow aisles, made it diff"rcult for her to maneuver the cart and caused

her to injure herse ►f. This claim, which was alleged in Ms. Karnofel's motion to amend

her complaint, was not part of the trial court's decisiongranting summary judgment and

is not properly before this court. Nevertheless, we note that if it was properly before us,

there is no evidence to support this claim or to raise a genuine issue of material fact to

defeat the granting of summa ry judgment.

{¶30} We find that the trial court acted within its discretion in granting D.R.

Herbert and Kmart's motions for summary judgment. We overrule Ms. Karnofei's

assignments of error.

{531} In Case No. 2007-T-0064, Ms. Karnofel raises three assignments of error:

{532} "[1.j The lower court abused its discretion when it failed to grant plaintiff's

motion for leave to.amend the complaint.

{133} "[2.] Plaintiff's constitutional right to the fourt eenth amendment-due

process of law- was violated.

{¶34} "[3.] The lower court abused its. discretion by committing prejudicial and

reversible error by not granting plaintiff's motion to amend the complaint, and granting

summary judgment for defendants."

{¶35} Ms. Karnofel's appeal in Case No. 2007-T-0064 stems from the trial

court's denial of her second leave to amend her complaint, which she filed on May 21,

2007, nearly four months after the trial court entered final judgment in favor of D.R.

Herbert and Kmart, on. January 22, 2007: Because the trial court had already entered

final judgment and because an appeal of'that decision was taken, the trial court

correctly determined that it was without jurisdiction to consider Ms: Karnofel's motion to

amend her complaint.

(1[36} "As a general proposition, once an appeal has been taken froma

judgment of a trial court, that court only retains the authority to take actions which are

not inconsistent with the jurisdiction of the appellate court; in other words, the trial court

is divested of all jurisdiction except to act in aid ofthe appeal." Willoughby-Eastlake

City Schoo! Dist. V. Lake Cty. Court of Common Pleas (Apr. 21, 2000), 11th Dist. No:

I-

10

99-L-130, 2000 Ohio App. LEXIS 1758; 9, citing McAuley v. Smith (1998), 82 Ohio St.3d

393, 395; Yee v. Erie Cty. Sheriffs Dep't. (1990), 51 Ohio St.3d 43, 44.

{137} Since the trial court was divested of jurisdiction at the time Ms. Karnofel

filed her motion to amend her complaint, this court also lacks jurisdiction to address the

issue raised in this appeal. However, even if this issue was properly before us, we

would still find no error in the court's refusal to allow Ms: Karnofel to amend her

complaint.

{138} A trial court's ruling on a motion to amend a complaint is reviewed under

an abuse of discretion standard. Wilmington Steel Prods., Inc. v. Cleveland Elec. alfum.

Co. (1991), 60 Ohio St.3d 120, 122. An abuse of discretion involves more than an error

of judgment but connotes that the trial court's attitude was unreasonable,

unconscionable, or arbitrary. Blakeinore v. Blakemore (1983), 5 Ohio St.3d 217, 219.

{139} Civ.R. 15(A) provides that, once a responsive pleading is made, a party

may amend his. pleading only by leave of court or by written consent of the adverse

party. Although leave of court may be given when justice so requires, in this case, the

trial court had already granted summary judgment in favor of the defendants. The

motion to amend the complaint was filed after the court held an oral argument on the

motions for summary judgment and after it had disposed of the underlying lawsuit.

Under these circumstances, there was no abuse its discretion in failing to.grant Ms.

Karnofel's motion to amend her complaint.

{140} Because the court was divested of jurisdiction when Ms

motion, we dismiss the appeal in Case No. 2007-T-0064.

Karnofel filed this

11

{141} The judgment of the Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas is affirmed

in Case No. 2007-T-0036 and the case is dismissed in Case No. 2007-T-0064.

CYNTHIA WESTCOTT RICE, P.J.,

TIMOTHY P. CANNON, J., concur.

STATE OF OHIO ))SS.

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS

COUNTY OF TRUMBULL

DELORES KARNOFEL,

) ELEVENTH DISTRICT

Plaintiff-Appellant,JUDGMENT ENTRY

-vs-

KMART CORPORATION, et 5iI.,

Defend a nts-Appel lees.

CASE NOS. 2007-T-0036arid 2007-T-0064

For the reasons stated in the opinion of this court,.. the assignments of

error in 11th Dist. No. 2007-T-0036 are without merit. Accordingly, the judgment

of the Trumbull" County Court of Common Pleas in that particular appeal is

affirmed.

As to 11th Dist. No. 2007-T-0064, it is the order of this court that the.

appeal is dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.

_y .D eJUDGE MARY JANE. TRAPP

FOR THE COURT

F1LEDCOUFSTOFAPPEALS

DEC 2 C;200T

TRisMfSU! L COU{yT1; 0,4KAREN iiUFAVMALLEN, C_ERK

STATE OF OHIO)SS.

COUNTY OF TRUMBULL

DELORES KARNOFEL,

- vs -

Plaintiff-Appellant,

KMART CORPORATION, et al.,

F1 EDCOURT APPEALS

FEB f6 2008

Defendants-Appellees.

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS

ELEVENTH DISTRICT

JUDGMENT ENTRY

CASE NOS. 2007-T-0036, and 2007-T-0064

TRUMBU COUNTN,OK This m tte b th t i i: a r comes efore e cour on a t me y application by appellant,KARENINfA EALLEN,CLERK

Delores Karnofel ("Ms. Karnofel"), for reconsideration of our December 24, 2007

opinion and judgment entry affirming the judgment of the Trurnbull County Court

of Common Pleas' For the reasons that' follow, Ms: Karnofel's ap"plication for

reconsideration is denied.

In order for an appellate court to grant an application for reconsideration,

the movant must identify an "obvious error" in the court's decision or demonstrate

that the court did not properly or fully consider an issue. See Woemer v. Mentor-

Exempted Village School Gist. Bd. of Edn. (1993), 84 Ohio App.3d 844, 846:

App.R. 26 "provides a mechanism by which a party may prevent miscarriages of

justice that could arise when an appellate court makes an obvious gt•,ror or

renders an unsupportable decision under the law." State v. Owens (1997), 112

Ohio Appi.c1

Ms. Karnofel first contends that this noUrt' erred in failing to rcverse the

grant of summary judgment where 6 facY issue remaing regarding the negfigenee

of Kmart in failing to reasonably maintain the electric mobility cart she was using.

Ms. Karnofel argues that the trial court erred in failing to consider in opposition to

the motions for summary judgment a letter she received from Ohio Mobility, a

company that had allegedly received a prior service call from defendant Kmart.

Ms. Karnofel also alleges that appellee, whose loss prevention associate had

stated in his affidavit that all carts were tested and in functioning order, submitted

this affidavit in bad faith since her letter from Ohio Mobility proved that there had

been problems associated with the carts.

:,,•: Ms..Karnofel made. these exact arguments to this court and we rejected

these arguments based upon the fact that Ms. Karnofel had failed to adhere to

the requirements of Civ.R. 56(E). As we stated in our opinion: "It was Ms.

Karnofel's burden to submit evidentiary materials in accordance with Civ:R. 56(E)

setting forth specific facts to demonstrate the existence of a genuine issue of

xnaterial fact. Civ.R. 56(E) specifically states that sworn or certified copies of.

documents must be submitted:.along with an affdavit. An unsworn letter is not

the type of evidence a trial,court may consider under Civ.R. 56." Kamofel v.

Kmart, 11th Dist. Nos. 2007-T-0036, 2007-T-0064, 2007-Ohio-6939, at ¶26.

Contrary to Ms. Karnofel's position, in analyzing this issue, this court

properly interpreted Civ.R. 56(E) and reiterated the fact that evidentiary materials

that are submitted to support or defend a motion for summary judgment must be

submitted along with an affidavit. Ms. Karnofel simply disagrees with our.

interpretation of Civ.R. 56(E). However, the fact that Ms. Karnofel disagrees with

the logic employed, the language chosen in the opinion, or the.conclusions

reached by this court is not grounds for granting an application for

reconsideration. Owens, 112 Ohio App.3d at 336.

Ms. Karnofel next contends that reconsideration should be granted

because she has also proven that Kmart was negligent because the store layout

made it difficult for her to maneuver the cart. Again, Ms. Karnofel raised this

issue to us previously and we declined to address it because it was not properly

before us. We explained: "This claim, which was alleged in Ms. Karnofel's

motion to amend her complaint, was not„part of the trial court's decision granting

summary judgment and is not properly before this court. Nevertheless, we note

that if it was properly before us,<there is no evidence to suppqrt this claim or to

raise a genuine issue of material fact to defeat the granting of summary

judgment." Karnofel at ¶29.

Ms. Karnofel has 'not identified any obvious error in our decision

warranting that reconsideration should be granted. Because Ms. Karnofel has

failed to show us that we committed an obvious error or failed to properly

address its arguments in our opinion, Ms. Karnofel's application for

reconsideration is hereby overruled.

ADM IS - . IVEJUDGEtulk RY JANE TRAPP

CYNTHIA WESTCOTT RICE, J.,

TIMOTHY P. CANNON, J.,

concur.

J 1 L L:DRTOFAPPEAL$

FEB-11 0 5 2008

^FiljMBULL COUNFY OHKAR@N1NFANTEALL^N,EEERK