Chiulli v. Newbury Fine Dining, Inc.
Chiulli v. Newbury Fine Dining, Inc.
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM
[Motion for Partial Summary Judgment]
I. Introduction
This action arises out of a physical altercation on June 20, 2008, outside of a restaurant known as Sonsie, at 327 Newbury Street, Boston, Massachusetts. Defendants, Newbury Pine Dining, Inc., d/b/a Sonsie, and The Lyons Group, Ltd., move for partial summary judgment as to Counts II and IV
A. Factual Background
On the night of June 19, 2008, into the early morning of June 20, 2008, Plaintiff Robert Chiulli and several of his companions were patrons at Sonsie.
In Count II of Plaintiff’s Second Amended Complaint, Plaintiff brings a claim against Newbury Fine Dining for dram shop negligence. Plaintiff alleges that Sonsie staff negligently served Reiman alcohol when they knew or should have known Reiman was intoxicated.
B. Procedural Background
Plaintiff filed his original complaint in Superior Court on February 1, 2010.
III. Discussion
Presently at issue is Defendants’ Motion for Partial Summary Judgment. Defendants move for summary judgment as to Count II for dram shop negligence. Defendants also move for summary judgment as to Count IV to the extent that Count IV alleges negligent alcohol training.
Defendants move on three grounds: (1) Plaintiff failed to comply with the affidavit requirement of Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 231, § 60J; (2) there is insufficient evidence that Sonsie staff served Reiman alcohol when they knew or should have known Reiman was intoxicated; and (3) service of alcohol to Reiman was not the proximate cause of Plaintiffs injuries.
A. Standard for Summary Judgment
The function of summary judgment is to “ ‘pierce the pleadings and to assess the proof in order to see whether there is a genuine need for trial.’ ”
B. Affidavit Requirement of Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 231, § 60J
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 231, § 60J states that in every action “for negligence in the distribution, sale or serving of alcoholic beverages” to an intoxicated person, the plaintiff must file an affidavit within ninety days of filing the complaint.
i. Count II (Dram Shop Negligence)
Plaintiff failed to meet the affidavit requirement of Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 231, § 60J by failing to file an affidavit within ninety days of his Second Amended Complaint. This court extended the deadline for Plaintiff to file an affidavit until September 26, 2012. Plaintiff failed to file the missing affidavit by the extended deadline as well.
On October 2, 2012, Plaintiff filed an affidavit. Plaintiff did so a year and a half after the Second Amended Complaint, after two missed deadlines, and within two weeks of trial. Accordingly, this court granted Defendants’ motion to strike the affidavit from the record.
The affidavit that Plaintiff filed in connection with his original complaint (“2010 Affidavit”) also does not suffice. Plaintiffs 2010 Affidavit describes Sonsie’s negligent service of alcohol to Burgess.
Plaintiff argues that he has satisfied the intent of § 60J to limit frivolous claims because Defendants had deposition testimony from witness Robert Deliseo regarding the dram shop allegations within ninety days of the Second Amended Complaint.
The § 60J affidavit requirement is mandatory and unambiguous.
ii. Count TV (Negligent Training of Sonsie Staff)
In Count TV, Plaintiff generally alleges that Lyons Group was negligent in training Sonsie staff.
The § 60J affidavit requirement does not apply to Plaintiffs negligent security training claim.
Plaintiffs failure to file a timely § 60J affidavit renders Plaintiffs Count IV claim for negligent alcohol training insufficient as a matter of law. Moving forward, Plaintiff is barred from relying on the negligent service of alcohol to Reiman as the cause of Plaintiffs injuries. Plaintiff may, however, pursue a claim under Count IV for negligent security training.
IV. Conclusion
For the foregoing reasons, Defendants’ Motion for Partial Summary Judgment [# 52] is ALLOWED. Summary judgment is allowed as to Count II. Summary judgment is also allowed as to Count IV to the extent that Count IV alleges negligent alcohol training. Plaintiff may still pursue Counts I, III, IV (negligent security training), and V-XII.
AN ORDER HAS ISSUED.
. Count IV generally alleges that Lyons Group was negligent in training Sonsie staff. Defendants move for summary judgment as to Count IV only to the extent that Plaintiff intends Count IV to allege negligent alcohol training. Defs.’ Mot. Partial Summ. J. 1 n. 1 [# 52],
. Because these issues arise in the context of Defendants’ Motion for Partial Summary Judgment, this court presents the facts, supported by the record, in the light most favorable to Plaintiff. See de la Cruz v. El Conquistador Resort & Country Club, 218 F.3d 1, 5 (1st Cir. 2000).
. Joseph Citino Dep. 66:1-5, February 11, 2011 [#67-7],
. Victor Torza Video Test. 13:24-14:4, 26:15-27:4, May 10, 2012 [# 83-1]; Garrett Rease Video Test. 19:18-20:11, May 10, 2012 [#84:1],
. Robert Deliseo Dep. 159:7-17, March 9, 2011 [#67-3],
. Deliseo Dep. 159:18-20.
. Deliseo Dep. 144:1-145:7; Citino Dep. 66:5-67:17.
. Nicole Guarrasi Dep. 40:1-18, May 11, 2011 [# 67-14],
. Citino Dep. 127:17-128:17.
. Second Am. Compl. ¶¶ 45-46 [# 20],
. Second Am. Compl. ¶¶ 20, 47 [# 20],
. Second Am. Compl. ¶¶ 10-12 [# 20].
. Second Am. Compl. ¶¶ 57-59 [# 20].
. State Ct. R. 5-10 [# 2],
. State Ct. R. 6, ¶¶ 10-12 [# 2],
. State Ct. R. 11 [# 2],
. Second Am. Compl. ¶¶ 45-46 [# 20],
. Defs.’ Mot. Partial Summ. J. 2 [# 52].
. Garside v. Osco Drug, Inc., 895 F.2d 46, 50 (1st Cir. 1990) (quoting Fed.R.Civ.P. 56 advisory committee’s note).
. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a).
. United States v. One Parcel of Real Property, 960 F.2d 200, 204 (1st Cir. 1992).
. OneBeacon Am. Ins. Co. v. Commercial Union Assurance Co. of Canada, 804 F.Supp.2d 77, 85-86 (D.Mass. 2011) (quoting de la Cruz v. El Conquistador Resort & Country Club, 218 F.3d 1, 5 (1st Cir. 2000)).
. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 231, § 60J.
. Id.
. Croteau v. Swansea Lounge, Inc., 402 Mass. 419, 522 N.E.2d 967, 969 (1988) (citing 1985 House Doc. No. 6508).
. Pucci v. Amherst Rest. Enters., Inc., 33 Mass.App.Ct. 779, 605 N.E.2d 309, 310 (1992).
. Croteau, 522 N.E.2d at 969-70.
. State Ct. R. 11 [# 2],
. Second Am. Compl. ¶¶ 45-46 [# 20],
. Pl.’s Opp. to Defs.’ Mot. Partial Summ. J. 8 [# 67],
. See Croteau, 522 N.E.2d at 969 ("We think it plain that both the filing of the affidavit and the time requirement are mandatory.”).
. Second Am. Compl. ¶¶ 57-59 [# 20].
. See Pucci v. Amherst Rest. Enters., Inc., 33 Mass.App.Ct. 779, 605 N.E.2d 309, 311-12 (1992).
. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 231, § 60J.
. In Pucci, the Massachusetts Appeals Court reasoned that a negligent security claim does not fall within § 60J because it does not rely on a showing of negligent service of alcohol. Pucci, 605 N.E.2d at 311 (“While the claim for inadequate security includes the allegation that intoxicated patrons struck him, that claim does not include the allegation that the patrons who struck and injured the plaintiff became intoxicated because the defendants negligently served them alcoholic beverages.”). Pucci is therefore distinguishable from this case.
. Mitcheson v. Izdepski, 32 Mass.App.Ct. 903, 585 N.E.2d 743, 745 (1992).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Robert A. CHIULLI, Jr. v. NEWBURY FINE DINING, INC. d/b/a Sonsie's Restaurant, the Lyons Group Ltd, Garrett Burgess aka Garrett Rease, Jeffrey Reiman, and Victor Torza
- Status
- Published