W. Gregory Baker v. Chris A. Verret

STATE OF LOUISIANA
COURT OF APPEAL, THIRD CIRCUIT

04-1484 consolidated with 04-1483, 04-1485, & 04-1486

W. GREGORY BAKER AND VIKKI L. BAIERS

VERSUS

CHRIS VERRET, ED LARRY SIKES, GREG BAKER ENTERPRISES, INC.,
STEPHANIE M. HIGGINBOTHAM, DARNALL SIKES & FREDERICK (A
CPA CORPORATION), V L B, INC., CBC INTERNATIONAL, INC., LOUIS
B. VIVIANO, NAWLINS KAJUN FOODS, L.L.C., NKF I-DR LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP, XYZ INSURANCE CO., XYZ INSURANCE CO.

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APPEAL FROM THE
FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT
PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, NO. 980481
HONORABLE DURWOOD WAYNE CONQUE, DISTRICT JUDGE

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ULYSSES GENE THIBODEAUX
CHIEF JUDGE

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Court composed of Ulysses Gene Thibodeaux, Chief Judge, Jimmie C. Peters, and
Marc T. Amy, Judges.

PETERS, J., DISSENTS AND ASSIGNS WRITTEN REASONS.

AMY, J., CONCURS FOR THE REASONS ASSIGNED IN Glod v. Baker, 04-
1483 (La.App. 3 Cir. __/__/05), __ So.2d __.

AFFIRMED.

Nancy Scott Degan
Roy C. Cheatwood
Jennifer B. McNamara
Kent Andrew Lambert
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC
201 St. Charles Avenue - Suite 3600
New Orleans, LA 70170
Telephone: (504) 565-5266
COUNSEL FOR:
Defendants/Appellants - Nawlins Kajun Foods, L.L.C., NKF I-DR Limited
Partnership, LAF Foods, Inc., BCM, L.L.C., Greg Baker Enterprises. CPCI
Incorporated, Louis B. Viviano, CBC International, Inc., & V L B, Inc.

Steven Gerald Durio
Robert L. Broussard
Jessica Watts Farmer
Durio, McGoffin & Stagg
P. O. Box 51308
Lafayette, LA 70505-1305
Telephone: (337) 233-0300
COUNSEL FOR:
Defendants/Appellees - Donald J. Baker, Kirby Pecot, Andrew B. Jameson, Max
Luttgeharm, & M. L. Godley, M.D.

Joseph C. Giglio, Jr.
Liskow & Lewis
P. O. Box 52008
Lafayette, LA 70505
Telephone: (337) 232-7424
COUNSEL FOR:
Plaintiff/Appellant - Walter A. Glod, Jr., M.D.

Robert A. Kutcher
Nicole S. Tygier
Patricia Diane Tunmer
Keegan E. Chopin
Chopin, Wagar, Richard, & Kutcher, LLP
Two Lakeway Center - Suite 900
3850 North Causeway Boulevard
Metairie, LA 70002
Telephone: (504) 830-3838
COUNSEL FOR:
Defendants/Appellees - Copeland’s of New Orleans, Inc., the Succession of
William A. Copeland, III, and Alvin C. Copeland, Jr.

William H. Parker, III
Allen & Gooch
P. O. Drawer 3768
Lafayette, LA 70502-3768
Telephone: (337) 291-1270
COUNSEL FOR:
Defendants/Appellees - Darnall, Sikes, Kolder, Frederick & Rainey and Ed
Larry Sikes

Reginald J. Ringuet
Ringuet, Daniels & Collier
P. O. Box 52647
Lafayette, LA 70505
Telephone: (337) 232-0002
COUNSEL FOR:
Defendants/Appellants - CBC International, Inc., NKF I-DR Limited
Partnership, Nawlins Kajun Foods, L.L.C., CPCI Incorporated, Greg Baker
Enterprises, V L B, Inc., LAF Foods, Inc., BCM, L.L.C., and Louis B. Viviano

Larry Lane Roy
Jennifer A. Wells
Preis, Kraft & Roy
P. O. Drawer 94-C
Lafayette, LA 70509
Telephone: (337) 237-6062
COUNSEL FOR:
Defendants/Appellees - Coregis Insurance Company and Chris Verret

George Allen Walsh
Alice Estill
601 Napoleon Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Telephone: (225) 381-9305
COUNSEL FOR:
Defendants/Appellees - W. Gregory Baker and Vikki Lynn Baiers

John Bologna Krentel
601 North Carrollton Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70119-4747
Telephone: (504) 569-1800
COUNSEL FOR:
Defendants/Appellees - Copeland’s of New Orleans, Inc., the Succession of
William A. Copeland III, and Alvin C. Copeland, Jr.

THIBODEAUX, Chief Judge.

For the reasons discussed in the consolidated case of Glod v. Baker, 04-

1483 (La.App. 3 Cir. __/__/05), __ So.2d __, the judgment of the trial court is

affirmed. Costs of the appeal are assessed to appellants, BCM, L.L.C. and Nawlins

Kajun Foods, L.L.C.

AFFIRMED.

1

NUMBER 04-1484
CONSOLIDATED WITH 04-1483, 04-1485, & 04-1486

COURT OF APPEAL, THIRD CIRCUIT
STATE OF LOUISIANA

W. GREGORY BAKER AND VIKKI L. BAIERS

VERSUS

CHRIS VERRET, ED LARRY SIKES, GREG BAKER ENTERPRISES, INC.,
STEPHANIE M. HIGGINBOTHAM, DARNALL SIKES & FREDERICK (A CPA
CORPORATION), V L B, INC., CBC INTERNATIONAL, INC., LOUIS B.
VIVIANO, NAWLINS KAJUN FOODS, L.L.C., NKF I-DR LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP, XYZ INSURANCE CO., XYZ INSURANCE CO.

PETERS, J., dissenting.

For the reasons discussed in my dissent in the consolidated case of Glod v.

Baker, 04-1483 (La.App. 3 Cir. ___/___/05), ___ So.2d ___, I respectfully disagree

with the majority’s opinion in this matter. I would reverse the trial court’s grant of

the summary judgment and remand the matter for further proceedings.

NUMBER 04-1483
C/W 04-1484, 04-1485, 04-1486

COURT OF APPEAL, THIRD CIRCUIT

STATE OF LOUISIANA

WALTER A. GLOD, JR., M.D.

VERSUS

W. GREGORY BAKER, ET AL.

AMY, J., concurring.

I agree that an affirmation is required. With regard to claims allegedly arising

under the Louisiana Fair Trade Practices Act, I find that they were either perempted

or without merit and, therefore, subject to dismissal through summary judgment. Like

the lead opinion, I find the continuing tort doctrine inapplicable as the limitation

period at issue is one of peremption rather than prescription. Peremptive periods

cannot be interrupted or suspended and application of the continuing tort doctrine to

the period would do just that. Absent the continuing tort theory, each action must be

viewed as individual and should be recognized as beginning its own peremptive

period. Simply, as suit was filed on January 29, 1998, it was not timely as to any

action occurring prior to January 29, 1997. Any actions occurring after that date do

not constitute LUTPA violations and were, therefore, appropriate for summary

judgment.