{ "id": 9497416, "name": "LAYLA MOHAMAD, Plaintiff v. DOREENA SHAPIALLE SIMMONS, and GARY SIMMONS, Defendants", "name_abbreviation": "Mohamad v. Simmons", "decision_date": "2000-08-15", "docket_number": "No. COA99-1090", "first_page": "610", "last_page": "615", "citations": [ { "type": "official", "cite": "139 N.C. App. 610" } ], "court": { "name_abbreviation": "N.C. Ct. App.", "id": 14983, "name": "North Carolina Court of Appeals" }, "jurisdiction": { "id": 5, "name_long": "North Carolina", "name": "N.C." }, "cites_to": [ { "cite": "464 S.E.2d 504", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "S.E.2d", "weight": 2, "year": 1995, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "505" } ], "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "121 N.C. App. 175", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C. App.", "case_ids": [ 11916211 ], "year": 1995, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "177" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc-app/121/0175-01" ] }, { "cite": "484 S.E.2d 435", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "S.E.2d", "weight": 2, "year": 1997, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "437-38", "parenthetical": "matters argued in brief but not contained in the record will not be considered on appeal" } ], "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "126 N.C. App. 139", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C. App.", "case_ids": [ 11709024 ], "year": 1997, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "142", "parenthetical": "matters argued in brief but not contained in the record will not be considered on appeal" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc-app/126/0139-01" ] }, { "cite": "317 S.E.2d 684", "category": "reporters:state_regional", "reporter": "S.E.2d", "weight": 2, "year": 1984, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "686", "parenthetical": "if \"finding of fact is essentially a conclusion of law, ... it will be treated [as such]\" and is fully \"reviewable on appeal\"" } ], "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "69 N.C. App. 341", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C. App.", "case_ids": [ 8526283 ], "year": 1984, "pin_cites": [ { "page": "344", "parenthetical": "if \"finding of fact is essentially a conclusion of law, ... it will be treated [as such]\" and is fully \"reviewable on appeal\"" } ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc-app/69/0341-01" ] } ], "analysis": { "cardinality": 583, "char_count": 12451, "ocr_confidence": 0.742, "pagerank": { "raw": 1.3901477939784153e-07, "percentile": 0.6425878497163348 }, "sha256": "08ce8b978385a3436ef3262cd7a3063b22eafd17738b61dd07a69dc8346317a2", "simhash": "1:57f944263c86cc3a", "word_count": 1953 }, "last_updated": "2023-07-14T19:40:43.899160+00:00", "provenance": { "date_added": "2019-08-29", "source": "Harvard", "batch": "2018" }, "casebody": { "judges": [ "Judges WALKER and TIMMONS-GOODSON concur." ], "parties": [ "LAYLA MOHAMAD, Plaintiff v. DOREENA SHAPIALLE SIMMONS, and GARY SIMMONS, Defendants" ], "opinions": [ { "text": "JOHN, Judge.\nDefendants Doreena Shapialle Simmons and Gary Simmons appeal the trial court\u2019s 16 April 1999 order (the Order) allowing plaintiff Layla Mohamad\u2019s \u201cMotion to Enforce Arbitration Award and/or Attorney Fees and Expenses\u201d and denying defendants\u2019 \u201cMotion for Imposition of Sanctions.\u201d We affirm.\nPertinent facts and procedural history include the following: On 10 May 1996, plaintiff and Doreena Simmons were involved in an automobile collision. Plaintiff subsequently complained of back pain and was examined by her physician and thereafter treated by a chiropractor, accumulating total bills in the amount of $1,730.00. Plaintiff subsequently filed the instant complaint 23 April 1998, alleging the negligence of Doreena Simmons proximately caused the collision and damages to plaintiff in an amount not in excess of $10,000.00.\nThe case was assigned to mandatory non-binding arbitration pursuant to the North Carolina Court-Ordered Arbitration Rules 1(a) and 8(a) (1999) (hereinafter N.C. Arb. R. or the Rules). See N.C.G.S. \u00a7 7A-37.1(b) (1999). On 17 June 1998, defendants filed answer denying negligence and demanding a jury trial. Defendants also filed a pre-arbitration submission, a motion to require prosecution bond, and an Offer of Judgment in the amount of $1,005.00.\nA court ordered arbitration hearing (the hearing) was noticed for 15 December 1998. The notice recited, inter alia, that \u201c[fjailure to appear for the hearing and participate in good faith may result in an adverse award and/or sanctions.\u201d Defendants did not attend the hearing; however, counsel purporting to represent defendants was present along with an adjuster from defendants\u2019 liability insurance carrier. Plaintiff objected to the failure of the individual defendants to appear, but proceeded with the hearing without waiving or withdrawing the objection.\nFollowing the hearing, the arbitrator awarded plaintiff $1,750.00. Defendants timely filed a request for trial de novo. See N.C. Arb. R. 5(a) (\u201cparty not in default. . . who is dissatisfied with an arbitrator\u2019s award may have a trial de novo as of right upon filing a written demand\u201d therefor in timely manner). On 8 March 1999, plaintiff moved to enforce the arbitration award and defendants thereupon responded with a motion for imposition of sanctions pursuant to N.C.G.S. \u00a7 1A-1, Rule 11 (1999). In the Order, the trial court granted the former motion and denied the latter. Defendants appeal.\nInitially, we note defendants set forth five assignments of error, but have failed to address assignments of error three and four in their appellate brief. These assignments of error are therefore deemed abandoned. See N.C.R. App. P. 28(b)(5) (\u201c[assignments of error not set out in the appellant\u2019s brief, or in support of which no reason or argument is stated or authority cited, will be taken as abandoned\u201d).\nDefendants\u2019 first two assignments of error challenge the trial court\u2019s \u201cfinding of fact\u201d number three, which stated as follows:\n3. That the named Defendants\u2019 failure to appear at the Court-Ordered Arbitration was in violation of Rule 3(p) of the North Carolina Rules for Court-Ordered Arbitration.\nThe foregoing \u201cfinding\u201d is rather a conclusion of law, fully reviewable on appeal. See Bowles Distributing Co. v. Pabst Brewing Co., 69 N.C. App. 341, 344, 317 S.E.2d 684, 686 (1984) (if \u201cfinding of fact is essentially a conclusion of law, ... it will be treated [as such]\u201d and is fully \u201creviewable on appeal\u201d).\nN.C. Arb. R. 3(p) provides that:\nParties must be present at hearings; Representation. All parties shall be present at hearings in person or through representatives authorized to make binding decisions on their behalf in all matters in controversy before the arbitrator. All parties may be represented by counsel. Only individuals may appear pro se.\nIt is not disputed that the individual defendants did not attend the hearing; however, counsel purporting to represent defendants and an adjuster employed by their liability insurance carrier were present. Defendants maintain that the phrase \u201cor through representatives authorized to make binding decisions,\u201d set out in N.C. Arb. R. 3(p), allows appearance by counsel or a liability insurance carrier representative in lieu of the actual parties.\nHowever, assuming arguendo defendants are correct, no evidence in the instant record indicates that the attorney and adjuster in attendance at the hearing indeed possessed authority \u201cto make binding decisions on [defendants\u2019] behalf in all matters.\u201d Id. Defendants counter that the attorney-client relationship grants \u201cinherent authority\u201d to counsel to make binding decisions for clients, and that contracts of liability insurance similarly grant an insurer authority to make binding decisions on behalf of the insured.\nIn the foregoing regard, we note defendants\u2019 concession\nthat the attorney-client relationship rests on the principles of agency, with the client being the principle [sic] and the attorney being the agent.\nNotwithstanding, defendants assert that counsel possesses \u201cinherent authority ... to make binding decisions with respect to strategic and tactical matters,\u201d and extrapolate therefrom the conclusion that \u201cdefendants\u2019 appearance at the arbitration [was] unnecessary for a determination on the merits.\u201d We believe defendants\u2019 conclusion is unfounded.\nFirst, as noted above, no documents in the record, such as defendants\u2019 contract with counsel, an affidavit setting forth the nature of the representational relationship and the authority of counsel, or defendants\u2019 policy of insurance, indicate the attorney purporting to represent defendants or the representative of their liability insurance carrier who were present at the hearing possessed in this case authority \u201cto make binding decisions on [defendants\u2019] behalf in all matters in controversy before the arbitrator.\u201d N.C. Arb. R. 3(p) (emphasis added). Without question, our review is based \u201csolely upon the record on appeal,\u201d N.C.R. App. P. 9(a), and we decline to accept as part of the record herein assertions of fact in the parties\u2019 briefs which are not sustained by record evidence, see N.C.R. App. P. 28(b)(4) (underlying facts set out in appellate brief must be supported by \u201creferences to pages in the . . . record on appeal\u201d), and Hudson v. Game World, Inc. 126 N.C. App. 139, 142, 484 S.E.2d 435, 437-38 (1997) (matters argued in brief but not contained in the record will not be considered on appeal).\nPerhaps more importantly, we observe that the commentary to N.C. Arb. R. 1 indicates that the purpose of the Rules \u201cis to create an efficient, economical alternative to traditional litigation for prompt resolution of disputes involving\u201d relatively minor money damage claims as in the case sub judice. Parties are thereby provided an early opportunity to present their contentions to a disinterested third party and obtain an impartial decision thereon in a cost-effective manner. In addition, the \u201calternative to traditional litigation,\u201d id., serves to relieve the constantly increasing caseload of our already overburdened trial courts.\nFurther, N.C. Arb. R. 3(1) provides for imposition of sanctions upon a \u201cparty failing or refusing to participate in an arbitration proceeding in a good faith and meaningful manner.\u201d Such a rule only highlights the critical importance of earnest, conscientious involvement by the parties in the process.\nWe believe both the express and implied bases for the Rules would be subverted, if not completely eviscerated, if parties were allowed to disregard the mandatory attendance requirement without unequivocal evidence in the record that representatives attending on behalf of absent parties were indeed \u201cauthorized to make binding decisions on [the absent parties\u2019] behalf in all matters in controversy before the arbitrator.\u201d N.C. Arb. R. 3(p). To conclude otherwise would simply countenance the failure to participate in mandatory arbitration \u201cin a good faith and meaningful manner.\u201d N.C. Arb. R. 3(1).\nIn sum, as defendants failed to attend the hearing in person, and as no evidence in the record reflects that counsel purporting to appear on defendants\u2019 behalf or the representative of defendants\u2019 liability insurance carrier were authorized \u201cto make binding decisions ... in all matters\u201d on behalf of defendants, we affirm the trial court\u2019s determination in \u201cfinding of fact\u201d number three of the Order that defendants violated N.C. Arb. R. 3(p).\nDefendants next argue the trial court erred by imposing the \u201csanction of striking defendants\u2019 request for trial de novo.\u201d Defendants concede that the trial court\u2019s\ndetermination that the defendants\u2019 violated [N.C. Arb. R.[ 3(p) gave [the court] the discretion to impose sanctions pursuant to [N.C. Arb. R.] 3(1).\nHowever, defendants maintain the court\u2019s enforcement of the arbitration award implicitly deprived them of the right to a jury trial provided in N.C. Arb. R. 5(a).\nN.C. Arb. R. 3(1) permits sanctions pursuant to, inter alia, N.C.G.S. \u00a7 1A-1, Rule 37(b)(2)(c) (1999) (Rule 37(b)(2)(c)), which allows the trial court to enter\n[a]n order striking out pleadings or parts thereof, or staying further proceedings until the order is obeyed, or dismissing the action or proceeding or any part thereof, or rendering a judgment by default against the disobedient party.\nSanctions imposed under Rule 37(b)(2)(c) will not be upset on appeal in the absence of an abuse of discretion, Hursey v. Homes By Design, Inc., 121 N.C. App. 175, 177, 464 S.E.2d 504, 505 (1995), i.e., upon a showing the ruling \u201cwas so arbitrary that it could not have been the result of a reasoned decision,\u201d id.\nSuffice it to state we perceive no abuse of discretion in the case sub judice. Defendants have acknowledged that the trial court\u2019s determination they violated N.C. Arb. R. 3(p) accorded to the court the discretion to impose sanctions under N.C. Arb. R. 3(1), which in turn references Rule 37(b)(2)(c) allowing the striking of pleadings, dismissal of an action or a portion thereof, and rendering judgment by default as permissible sanctions. Assuming arguendo the trial court\u2019s Order enforcing the arbitration award thereby implicitly imposed the sanctions of striking defendants\u2019 request for trial de. novo or of entering judgment against defendants, such action appears well within the purview of Rule 37(b)(2)(c) and in no event constitutes an abuse of the court\u2019s discretion.\nIn sum, the Order is in all respects affirmed.\nAffirmed.\nJudges WALKER and TIMMONS-GOODSON concur.", "type": "majority", "author": "JOHN, Judge." } ], "attorneys": [ "Law Offices of Michael A. DeMayo, L.L.P., by Frank F. Voler,for plaintiff-appellee.", "Kenneth M. Gondek and Steven J. Colombo, for defendants-appellants." ], "corrections": "", "head_matter": "LAYLA MOHAMAD, Plaintiff v. DOREENA SHAPIALLE SIMMONS, and GARY SIMMONS, Defendants\nNo. COA99-1090\n(Filed 15 August 2000)\n1. Arbitration and Mediation\u2014 party\u2019s failure to attend \u2014 no evidence representative possessed authority to make binding decisions\nThe trial court did not err by concluding that defendants failed to appear at a court-ordered arbitration hearing in an automobile collision case in violation of N.C. Arbitration Rule 3(p) where defendants were not at the hearing but counsel purporting to. represent defendants was present along with an adjuster from defendants\u2019 liability insurance carrier, because even if Rule 3(p) allows appearance by counsel or a liability insurance carrier representative in lieu of the actual parties, no evidence in the record indicates that the attorney and adjuster in attendance at the arbitration hearing indeed possessed authority to make binding decisions on defendants\u2019 behalf in all matters.\n2. Arbitration and Mediation\u2014 sanctions \u2014 authority\nThe trial court did not abuse its discretion by imposing the sanction of striking defendants\u2019 request for a trial de novo based on defendants\u2019 failure to participate in mandatory arbitration in a good faith and meaningful manner as required by North Carolina Arbitration Rule 3(1), because the determination that defendants violated N.C. Arb. R. 3(p) accorded the trial court the discretion to impose sanctions under N.C. Arb. R. 3(1), which in turn references N.C.G.S. \u00a7 1A-1, Rule 37(b)(2)(c) allowing the striking of pleadings, dismissal of an action or a portion thereof, and rendering judgment by default as permissible sanctions.\nAppeal by defendants from order entered 16 April 1999 by Judge Fritz Y. Mercer in Mecklenburg County District Court. Heard in the Court of Appeals 8 June 2000.\nLaw Offices of Michael A. DeMayo, L.L.P., by Frank F. Voler,for plaintiff-appellee.\nKenneth M. Gondek and Steven J. Colombo, for defendants-appellants." }, "file_name": "0610-01", "first_page_order": 642, "last_page_order": 647 }