Cully v. Lutheran Medical Center, 53097

Decision Date27 April 1987
Docket NumberNo. 53097,53097
Citation523 N.E.2d 531,37 Ohio App.3d 64
PartiesCULLY, Appellant, v. LUTHERAN MEDICAL CENTER, Appellee.
CourtOhio Court of Appeals

Syllabus by the Court

The pendency of an appeal of a judgment does not prevent the judgment's effect as res judicata in a subsequent action.

Marie Cully, pro se.

Thompson, Hine & Flory, Michael J. Frantz, Daniel A. Ward and Carl H. Gluek, Cleveland, for appellee.

PER CURIAM.

Appellant, Marie Cully, was discharged by her employer, appellee Lutheran Medical Center, on February 17, 1984. On February 18, 1986, appellant, acting pro se, filed a four-count complaint challenging her discharge. In the first count she alleged a breach of employment contract. The second count set forth additional claims for damages which flowed from the alleged breach. Her third count alleged that appellee libeled her in incident reports provided to the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services. Appellant alleged in the fourth count that appellee discharged her in retaliation for her filing a Title VII action (see Section 2000e et seq., Title 42, U.S.Code) in federal court for wage discrimination.

Appellee moved to dismiss or, in the alternative, for summary judgment. In its brief below, appellee argued that the prior adverse judgment in federal court was res judicata since appellant's claims had been, or could have been, adjudicated in that action. Appellee further argued that any remaining claims were barred by collateral estoppel because the issue of the reason for appellant's termination had been resolved against her. Appellee attached to its motion a copy of the district court's opinion in Cully v. Lutheran Medical Ctr. (Dec. 31, 1985), N.D.Ohio No. C85-1314, unreported. The district court found that appellant had been discharged for repeated instances of unprofessional conduct and insubordination.

Finally, appellee argued in the trial court that appellant's claim for libel was time-barred since it was apparent from the face of the complaint that the action had been filed beyond the one-year statute of limitations set forth in R.C. 2305.11(A).

The trial court granted appellee's motion without opinion and dismissed appellant's action with prejudice.

Marie Cully on appeal to this court asserts a single assignment of error which reads:

"The court erred in dismissing this case with prejudice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled on plaintiff's related appeal taken from the United States District Court."

Appellant argues that the trial court erred in applying the principle of res judicata because the judgment of the district court is pending on appeal. The parties have not briefed any other issues, and pursuant to App.R. 12(A) our review will be limited...

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29 cases
  • Blackwell v. Gorman
    • United States
    • Ohio Court of Common Pleas
    • March 8, 2007
    ...being regarded as a final resolution on the merits. 63 Ohio Jurisprudence 3d (2003), Judgments Section 351; Cully v. Lutheran Med. Ctr. (1987), 37 Ohio App.3d 64, 523 N.E.2d 531; Hapgood v. Warren (C.A.6, 1997), 127 F.3d 490, 494, fn. {¶ 3} Blackwell's complaints about his lawyers include a......
  • Campbell v. LAKE HALLOWELL
    • United States
    • Court of Special Appeals of Maryland
    • July 2, 2004
    ...1993); In re Amica Mut. Ins. Co., 85 A.D.2d 727, 445 N.Y.S.2d 820, 822 (N.Y.App.Div.1981); Cully v. Lutheran Med. Center, 37 Ohio App.3d 64, 523 N.E.2d 531, 532 (Ohio Ct.App., 1987); Lee v. Mitchell, 152 Or.App. 159, 953 P.2d 414, 420 n. 11 (1998); Shaffer v. Smith, 543 Pa. 526, 673 A.2d 87......
  • United States ex rel. Sheldon v. Kettering Health Network, 15–3075.
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Sixth Circuit
    • March 7, 2016
    ...remains ‘final’ for preclusion purposes, unless or until overturned by the appellate court." Id. (citing Cully v. Lutheran Med. Ctr., 37 Ohio App.3d 64, 523 N.E.2d 531, 532 (1987) ).As with Hapgood, the fact that Relator's state claims were on appeal when the federal district court entered ......
  • Hutchins v. Cardiac Science, Inc.
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — District of Massachusetts
    • September 27, 2006
    ...Tomchik, No. 98-CO-38 & 98-C71, 1999 WL 159227, at *2-3 (Ohio App. 7 Dist. Mar.17, 1999); see also Cully v. Lutheran Med. Ctr., 37 Ohio App.3d 64, 523 N.E.2d 531, 532 (1987) (per curiam); but see Uebel v. Bd. of Ed. of Edgewood City Sch. Dist., No. CA2001-05-104, 2002 WL 336931, at *2 (Ohio......
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