ÿWPC¿" …# VUNa %¯ 0jµ 0Í bì w@ô 44 H †W Ý å mç 0Dþ 0JB 0TŒ 0^à 0h> 0r¦ 0| 0†” 0 1uª 0d BƒU> B)ÞDC AMJ D3—U*ÊFô 0@:Íz‚Gv~ÉvÓG AO!Æi! 0D/" D/s" B¢"˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÈÚØÚÚØÈÚ0nLHÎ'í€"  Z 6Times New Roman Regular¼(Bµî$¡¡Ò°ÒÒ„°ÒÓ  ÓÙñÓ Ù(}(2u‘$¤¤Ý ƒµî!ÝÒ°ÒÒ„°ÒÓ  ÓÙñÓ ÙÝ  ÝÔ€XuHX¼¼Ôà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó- ù-  D  E     Ó€  DÒ 3|x outpatient v. christian - opinion Ì &0 ' IB011C20IB011C2 .   ÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ d< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d''''7Border 1dd€-(Cþÿ << Gÿÿ$$$$'ÿÿdxd< Œ 9p`(Arial <Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€&ÔÔ€&¼ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ€+ÔÔ€+ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€+XÔÌÌAprilÏ30,Ï1997ÌÌCecilÏW.ÏCrowsonÌAppellateÏCourtÏClerkÔ  Ôó ó("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò ÃÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€&ÔÔ€&¼ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ$ÝÔ€&XÔà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  Ý›Motions€for€summary€judgment€need€not€be€supported€by€evidentiary€materials€outsideÏthe€pleadings.€€òòBiogen€Distribs.,€Inc.€v.€Tanneróó,€842€S.W.2d€253,€255€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.Ï1992).€€However,€parties€using€unverified€pleadings€to€support€or€to€oppose€a€summaryÏjudgment€motion€may€rely€only€on€the€judicial€admissions€contained€therein.€€Neil€P.€œCohen,€etÏal.,›€òòTennessee€Law€of€Evidenceóó€ðð€803€(1.2).10€(3rd€ed.€1995);€œ4›€John€H.€Wigmore,€òòEvidenceÏin€Trials€at€Common€Lawóó€ðð€1064,€at€67€(Chadbourn€rev.€1972).€€Factual€averments€in€anÏunverified€pleading€are€not€evidence;€however,€factual€averments€in€a€verified€pleading€areÏcompetent€evidence€because€a€verified€pleading€is€the€functional€equivalent€of€an€affidavit.Ì xÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€&ÔÔ€&¼ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ$ÝÔ€&XÔà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝThe€obligation€to€provide€necessaries€now€extends€to€both€the€husband€and€the€wife.€Ïòò¢Kilbourne£€v.€¢Hanzelik£,óó€648€S.W.2d€932,€934€(Tenn.€1983).€€ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€&ÔÔ€&¼ÔÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ Ü ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ€ÑÑ7€ßE¼¼ddÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ  Ñ›Þ ÞÌÌÌÌà@ àÔ€&„Ôò òIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLE̜ـ€ÙßR€),(A1-j|?ÿ:` à. `€€@ÿRß›ÌÔ€&¼ÔÌÌÌÌó óOUTPATIENT€DIAGNOSTIC€CENTER,à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellee,à àà àà àœ€€€€€€€€€€)›Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àDavidson€CircuitÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€94C„2264ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAppeal€No.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à01A01„9510„CV„00467ÌRALPH€CHRISTIAN,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellant.à àà àà à)ÌÌÌÌÌà@ àAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€FOR€DAVIDSON€COUNTYÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLE,€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àTHE€HONORABLE€BARBARA€N.€HAYNES,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌòòFor€the€Plaintiff/Appelleeóó:à àà àà àà àòòFor€theÏDefendant/Appellantóó:ÌÌJohn€E.€Buffaloe,€Jr.à àà àà àà àà àRalph€Christian,€Pro€SeÌNashville,€TennesseeÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àÔ€&„Ôò òVACATED€AND€REMANDEDó óÌÌÔ€&¼ÔÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,ÏJUDGEÇÓ€ÓÔ€&„Ôà@ àò òòòO€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óÌÔ€&¼ÔÌà àThis€appeal€involves€a€medical€care€providerððs€efforts€to€hold€a€husbandÏliable€for€medical€services€provided€to€his€wife.€€The€husband€perfected€a€deÏnovo€appeal€in€the€Circuit€Court€for€Davidson€County€after€the€providerÏobtained€a€judgment€against€him€in€general€sessions€court.€€Thereafter,€theÏtrial€court€granted€the€providerððs€motion€for€summary€judgment,€and€theÏhusband€appealed€to€this€court.€€The€husband€assails€the€summary€judgment€onÏtwo€grounds:€first€that€the€record€contains€no€evidence€demonstrating€that€theÏprovider€is€entitled€to€a€judgment€as€a€matter€of€law€and€second€that€he€shouldÏnot€be€held€liable€for€his€wifeððs€debt€because€she€was€not€acting€as€his€agent€œinÏthe€transaction€and›€because€he€did€not€ratify€the€debt.€€We€have€determinedÏthat€the€summary€judgment€must€œbe€vacated›€because€of€the€absence€of€anÏevidentiary€foundation€for€a€judgment€of€any€sort.ÌÌà@ àò òI.ó óÌÌà àAppellate€courts€customarily€provide€a€factual€context€for€their€legalÏholdings€to€enable€the€bench€and€bar€to€understand€the€nature€of€the€dispute.€ÏThese€facts,€drawn€from€the€evidence€presented€in€the€trial€court,€assist€theÏappellate€courts€in€identifying€and€properly€applying€the€relevant€legalÏprinciples.€€The€record€in€this€case€contains€very€little€competent€evidence.€ÏAccordingly,€we€have€gleaned€the€following€information€from€the€partiesððÏbriefs€and€the€papers€filed€in€the€trial€court.€€Regrettably,€we€cannot€treat€thisÏinformation€as€fact.ÌÌà àIn€mid„1993,€Marion€Christianððs€physician€referred€her€to€OutpatientÏDiagnostic€Center€in€Nashville€for€necessary€medical€tests€relating€to€herÏdiabetes.€€Ms.€Christian€had€no€insurance€and€could€not€produce€a€MedicareÏcard€when€she€arrived€for€her€tests€on€July€2,€1993.€€Accordingly,€she€signedÏan€agreement€undertaking€to€pay€the€$534€fee€œin›€ð ðmonthly€payments€of€$25.00Ï(more€if€she€can).ðð€€Apparently€œMs.€Christianððs€husband,€Ralph€Christian,€did›Ïnot€accompany€his€wife€œand›€was€unaware€that€she€had€signed€the€agreement.€ÏThereafter,€Outpatient€Diagnostic€Center€performed€the€tests€ordered€by€Ms.ÏChristianððs€physician.€€ÌÌà àMs.€Christianððs€illness€prevented€her€from€paying€any€part€of€OutpatientÏDiagnostic€Centerððs€bill.€€In€May€1994€Outpatient€Diagnostic€Center€filed€suitÏon€a€sworn€account€in€the€Davidson€County€General€Sessions€Court€seeking€toÏrecover€œMs.€Christianððs€$534›€œdebt€from€Mr.€Christian.€€Mr.€Christian€pleadedÏð ðnon€est€factumðð€in€the€general€sessions€court.€€He€also€asserted€that€Ms.ÏChristian€was€not€acting€as€his€agent€on€July€2,€1993€and€that€he€had€notÏratified€her€debt.€€After€the€general€sessions€court€awarded€a€$534€judgmentÏto€Outpatient€Diagnostic€Center,€Mr.€Christian€pursued€a€de€novo€appeal€in€theÏCircuit€Court€for€Davidson€County€in€accordance€with€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€16„15„729€(1994).€€ÌÌà àNeither€party€filed€formal€pleadings€or€conducted€any€sort€of€discoveryÏonce€the€case€was€docketed€in€the€circuit€court.€€In€December€1994,€OutpatientÏDiagnostic€Center€filed€a€motion€for€summary€judgment€supported€by€anÏunauthenticated€copy€of€Ms.€Christianððs€July€2,€1993€agreement€to€pay€theÏ$534€bill€along€with€copies€of€the€briefs€the€parties€had€filed€in€the€generalÍsessions€court.€€Mr.€Christian€filed€an€unverified€response€to€the€motion€forÏsummary€judgment€containing€many€factual€assertions€that€were€not€supportedÏby€competent€evidence€in€the€record.€€Following€a€hearing€on€January€13,Ï1995,€the€trial€court€entered€an€order€on€April€11,€1995€granting€OutpatientÏDiagnostic€Center€a€$534€judgment€against€Mr.€Christian.ÌÌà@ àò òII.ó óÌÌà àThe€controlling€issue€in€this€case€concerns€whether€OutpatientÏDiagnostic€Center€carried€its€burden€of€proof€under€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€56.03€toÏdemonstrate€that€the€pleadings€and€evidentiary€materials€show€that€there€is€noÏgenuine€issue€as€to€any€material€fact€and€that€it€is€entitled€to€a€judgment€as€aÏmatter€of€law.€€More€specifically,€this€appeal€requires€us€to€determine€whetherÏOutpatient€Diagnostic€Center€provided€the€trial€court€with€a€sufficient€factualÏpredicate€to€warrant€granting€a€summary€judgment.ÌÌà àThe€party€seeking€a€summary€judgment€has€the€initial€burden€ofÏproducing€evidence€to€support€its€summary€judgment€motion.€€òòByrd€v.€Hall,óóÏ847€S.W.2d€208,€213€(Tenn.€1993);€òòBurgess€v.€Harley,óó€934€S.W.2d€58,€62Ï(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1996).€€Using€the€pleadings€and€the€evidentiary€materialsÏidentified€in€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€56.03€and€56.05,€the€moving€party€must€satisfyÏthe€trial€court€that€there€is€no€genuine€issue€as€to€any€material€fact.€ÏUnverified€pleadings€help€frame€the€issues€to€determine€relevancy€but€for€theÏmost€part€are€not€evidence€of€the€type€required€to€support€or€to€oppose€aÍsummary€judgment€motion.× ƒ. ××  ×€€òòKnight€v.€Hospital€Corp.€of€Americaóó,€App.€No.Ï¢01A01£„9509„CV„00408,€1997€WL€5161,€at€*€4€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€Jan.€8,€1997)Ï(No€Tenn.€R.€App.€P.€11€application€filed);€òòsee€alsoóó€òò¢Hillhaven£€Corp.€v.€StateÏex€rel.€Manor€Care,€Inc.,óó€565€S.W.2d€210,€212€(Tenn.€1978).€€StatementsÏcontained€in€briefs€and€arguments€of€counsel€are€likewise€not€evidence.€€òòStateÏv.€Dykes,óó€803€S.W.2d€250,€255€(Tenn.€¢Crim£.€App.€1990);€òòPrice€v.€MercuryÏSupply€Co.,óó€682€S.W.2d€924,€929€n.5€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1984).€€€ÌÌà àThe€appellate€record€contains€unauthenticated€photocopies€of€OutpatientÏDiagnostic€Centerððs€civil€warrant€and€the€partiesðð€briefs€filed€in€generalÏsessions€court;€however,€it€presently€contains€no€pleadings.€€It€also€contains€noÏevidentiary€materials€of€the€sort€identified€in€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€56.€ÏAccordingly,€Outpatient€Diagnostic€Center€has€failed€to€carry€its€burden€ofÏproviding€competent€evidence€upon€which€the€trial€court€could€properlyÏconclude€that€there€are€no€genuine€issues€concerning€the€facts€relevant€to€theÏdispute€between€Mr.€Christian€and€Outpatient€Diagnostic€Center.€€This€beingÏthe€case,€we€have€no€choice€but€to€vacate€the€summary€judgment.ÌÌÌÌÌà@ àò òIII.ó óÌÌà àWe€have€decided€to€address€briefly€the€substantive€legal€issue€involvedÏin€this€case€to€aid€the€parties€and€the€trial€court€on€remand.€€Even€if€OutpatientÏDiagnostic€Center€presents€competent€evidence€of€the€circumstances€discussedÏin€Section€I€of€this€opinion,€Mr.€Christian€asserts€that€he€cannot€be€held€liableÏfor€Ms.€Christianððs€medical€bill€because€she€was€not€acting€as€his€agent€whenÏshe€signed€the€agreement€to€pay€on€July€2,€1993€and€because€he€has€neverÏagreed€to€be€responsible€for€this€debt.€€These€arguments€completely€overlookÏa€spouseððs€common„law€obligation€to€provide€medical€necessaries€for€his€orÏher€spouse.ÌÌà àDeeply€embedded€in€the€common€law€of€this€state€is€the€doctrine€that€aÏhusband€has€a€duty€to€furnish€his€wife€suitable€support,€including€medicalÏservices,€during€her€life.€€òòSimpson€v.€Drake,óó€150€Tenn.€84,€86,€262€¢S.W.£€41,Ï41€(1924);¢× ƒ/ ××  ×£€òòseeóó€òòalsoóó€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€47„18„805€(1995)€(stating€that€theÏspouse€of€a€married€credit€applicant€can€be€liable€for€debts€and€charges€ð ðto€theÏextent€common€law€liability€is€imposed€for€furnishing€necessariesðð).€€ThisÏdoctrine€does€not€depend€on€actual€or€apparent€agency€for€its€application.€€TheÏonly€exception€to€the€rule€arises€in€circumstances€where€a€spouse€abandons€theÏother€spouse€without€just€cause.€€òòBrown€v.€Patton,óó€22€Tenn.€(3€Hum.)€135,Ï137€(1842).€€ÌÌà àOther€states€confronting€questions€similar€to€the€one€involved€in€thisÏcase€have€held€that€the€common„law€necessaries€doctrine€creates€an€obligationÍdirectly€between€the€husband€and€the€wifeððs€creditor€and€that€a€husband€can€beÏheld€liable€for€necessary€medical€services€provided€to€the€wife.€€òòSee€e.g.,óóÏòòMedical€Business€¢Assocs£.€v.€Steiner,€óó588€¢N.Y.S.2d£€890,€896„97€(App.€Div.Ï1992);€òòLandmark€Med.€Ctr.€v.€¢Gauthier£,óó€635€A.2d€1145,€1151„52€(R.I.€1994);ÏòòMedical€Ctr.€Hosp.€v.€¢Lorrain£,óó€675€A.2d€1326,€1328€(¢Vt£.€1996);€òòSchilling€v.ÏBedford€County€Mem.€Hosp.,óó€303€¢S.E.2d£€905,€907€(Va.€1983).€€Thus,€aÏprovider€of€medical€services€can€make€out€a€prima€facie€claim€for€recoveryÏunder€the€necessaries€doctrine€by€proving€that€(1)€it€provided€medical€servicesÏto€the€receiving€spouse,€(2)€the€medical€services€were€necessary€for€theÏreceiving€spouseððs€health€and€well„being,€(3)€the€person€from€whom€recoveryÏis€sought€was€married€to€the€receiving€spouse€when€the€services€wereÏprovided,€and€(4)€payment€for€the€services€has€not€been€made.€€òòForsyth€¢Memððl£ÏHosp.€v.€¢Chisholm£,óó€467€¢S.E.2d£€88,€89„90€(N.C.€1996);€òòTrident€¢Regððl£€Med.ÏCtr.€v.€Evans,óó€454€¢S.E.2d£€343,€345€(S.C.€Ct.€App.€1995).€€ÌÌà àShould€Outpatient€Diagnostic€Center€produce€competent€evidenceÏsubstantiating€the€circumstances€outlined€in€Section€I€of€this€opinion,€it€willÏhave€succeeded€in€making€out€a€prima€facie€case€of€liability€on€the€part€of€Mr.ÏChristian.€€At€that€point,€the€burden€of€going€forward€will€shift€to€Mr.ÏChristian€to€present€whatever€proof€he€has€to€substantiate€any€viable€defensesÏhe€may€have.€€Lack€of€agency€or€ratification€of€the€wifeððs€debt€are€not€viableÏdefenses€to€a€claim€to€recover€medical€necessaries€provided€to€a€spouse€duringÏthe€marriage.ÌÌà@ àò òIV.ó óÌÌà àWe€vacate€the€summary€judgment€and€remand€the€case€for€furtherÏproceedings€consistent€with€this€opinion.€€We€tax€the€costs€in€equalÏproportions€to€Ralph€Christian€and€to€Outpatient€Diagnostic€Center€for€whichÏexecution,€if€necessary,€may€issue.ÌÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àà à____________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,ÏJUDGEÌCONCURS:ÌÌ________________________________ÌSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGE€ÌÌÌCONCURS€IN€SEPARATE€OPINION:ÌÌHENRY€F.€TODD,€P.J.,€M.S.€Ñ7€Fû¼¼d¼¼d7ÑÓ€Ó