Edwards v. Ferris, 2001 ABQB 1125

• Judge: Slatter, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: December 14, 2001
• Citations: 2001 ABQB 1125;(2001), 316 A.R. 40 (QB)

Edwards v. Ferris (2001), 316 A.R. 40 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2002] A.R. TBEd. JA.026

Patrick Edwards (appellant) v. Ronald Ferris (respondent)

(Action No. 0103 15912; 2001 ABQB 1125)

Indexed As: Edwards v. Ferris

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Edmonton

Slatter, J.

December 31, 2001.

Summary:

Ferris and Edwards were involved in a motor vehicle accident. Edwards was completely at fault. Ferris commenced an action in Provincial Court solely for his property damage, based on advice that he could sue later in the Court of Queen's Bench for his personal injuries. Ferris obtained a default judgment, and garnisheed Edwards's wages. After the judgment was satisfied, Ferris learned that a separate action could not be maintained for his personal injury claim. He applied to have the default judgment set aside.

The Alberta Provincial Court, in an oral decision not reported in this series of reports, allowed the application and set aside the default judgment. Edwards appealed.

The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench allowed the appeal.

Equity - Topic 5041

Merger - Judgments - General - After his vehicle was rear-ended by Edwards, Ferris sued only for his property damage, intending to sue later for his personal injuries - Ferris obtained a default judgment - After the judgment was satisfied, Ferris learned that a separate action could not be maintained for his personal injury claim - He had the default judgment set aside in Provincial Court - Edwards appealed - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench held that "the learned Provincial Court judge failed to understand that a default judgment does create a res judicata, was in error in describing [Edwards's] reaction to the default judgment as being unreasonable, failed to recognize the prejudice suffered by [Edwards], and failed to give sufficient weight to the fact that the judgment in question had been satisfied after garnishment proceedings had been taken. Most importantly the decision under appeal does not recognize the importance of finality of judgments, and fails to apply the principles [of merger]" - See paragraph 58.

Estoppel - Topic 387

Estoppel by record (res judicata) - Res judicata as a bar to subsequent proceedings - Matters or claims available in prior proceedings - [See Equity - Topic 5041 ].

Estoppel - Topic 399

Estoppel by record (res judicata) - Res judicata as a bar to subsequent proceedings - Application where prior judgment obtained by default - [See Equity - Topic 5041 ].

Practice - Topic 6196.1

Judgments and orders - Setting aside default judgments (incl. noting in default) - Reopening of - [See Equity - Topic 5041 ].

Practice - Topic 6200

Judgments and orders - Setting aside default judgments (incl. noting in default) - Circumstances when party precluded from attacking judgment - [See Equity - Topic 5041 ].

Cases Noticed:

Cahoon v. Franks, [1967] S.C.R. 455; 63 D.L.R.(2d) 274; 60 W.W.R.(N.S.) 684, refd to. [para. 10].

Naken et al. v. General Motors of Canada Ltd., [1983] 1 S.C.R. 72; 46 N.R. 139; 144 D.L.R.(3d) 385; 32 C.P.C. 138, refd to. [para. 10].

Dorion v. Roberge et autres, [1991] 1 S.C.R. 374; 124 N.R. 1; 39 Q.A.C. 81; 78 D.L.R.(4th) 666, refd to. [para. 11].

Roberge v. Bolduc - see Dorion v. Roberge et autres.

Abacus Cities Ltd. (Bankrupt) v. Bank of Montreal et al., [1986] 4 W.W.R. 564; 70 A.R. 55; 45 Alta. L.R.(2d) 113 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 11].

South American and Mexican Co., Re; Ex parte Bank of England, [1895] 1 Ch. 37 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 11].

Singer v. Ashdown (J.H.) Hardware Co., [1953] 1 S.C.R. 252; [1953] 2 D.L.R. 625, refd to. [para. 12].

Bank of Nova Scotia v. Torringa and Torringa (1981), 30 A.R. 606; 15 Alta. L.R.(2d) 149 (Q.B. Master), refd to. [para. 13].

Carson and Cardal Controls Canada Ltd. v. Carson (1993), 147 A.R. 79 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 13].

Banks v. Sopko, [1940] 1 W.W.R. 45 (Sask. C.A.), refd to. [para. 13].

R.M.K.R.M. (Firm) v. M.R.M.V.L. (Firm), [1926] A.C. 761; [1926] 3 W.W.R. 144 (P.C.), refd to. [para. 15].

Swanton Seed Service Ltd. v. Kulba (1968), 64 W.W.R.(N.S.) 161; 68 D.L.R.(2d) 38 (Man. Q.B.), dist. [para. 16].

Kohn v. Devon Mortgage Ltd. and Glass (1983), 49 A.R. 268; 3 D.L.R.(4th) 466 (Q.B.), revd. (1985), 65 A.R. 73; 20 D.L.R.(4th) 480 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 17].

Hudson's Bay Co. v. Scott, [1929] 3 W.W.R. 232 (B.C. Co. Ct.), refd to. [para. 20].

Flak (Ed) Construction Ltd. v. Crow-Crest Industries Ltd. and Edwards, [1982] 4 W.W.R. 1; 37 A.R. 70; 19 Alta. L.R.(2d) 289; 26 C.P.C. 194; 134 D.L.R.(3d) 622 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 22].

Fritz Plumbing Co. v. Guasp, [1972] 1 W.W.R. 692 (Alta. Dist. Ct.), refd to. [para. 23].

Altech Aluminium Ltd. v. Pendulum Construction Ltd. (1991), 47 C.P.C.(2d) 241 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 24].

S. Group Management Inc. v. Magnum Cat Contractors Ltd. et al. (1992), 137 A.R. 22; 11 C.P.C.(3d) 242 (Q.B. Master), refd to. [para. 24].

Esprit de Corp (1980) Ltd. v. Papadimitriou (1995), 23 O.R.(3d) 733 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 24].

Yager v. Barasso, [1987] B.C.J. No. 1944, refd to. [para. 25].

Edborg v. Imperial Timber Co. (1914), 6 W.W.R. 180 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 26].

Fear v. Bourquin (1976), 1 B.C.L.R. 242 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 29].

Grant v. Stewart (1978), 13 C.P.C. 15 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 29].

Braithwaite v. Haugh (1978), 19 O.R.(2d) 288; 84 D.L.R.(3d) 590 (Co. Ct.), refd to. [para. 30].

Wilbee et al. v. Baldinelli et al. (1997), 45 O.T.C. 297 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 30].

Trudel v. Seguin et al. (1998), 82 O.T.C. 270 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 32].

Cannan v. Reynolds (1855), 26 L.J.Q.B. 62; 119 E.R. 493, refd to. [para. 34].

Kaprow (S.) and Co. v. MacLelland and Co., [1948] 1 All E.R. 264 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 35].

Royal Bank of Canada v. Logan et al. (1994), 155 A.R. 78; 73 W.A.C. 78 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 36].

Findlay v. Patmore (H.T.) & Co., [1948] 2 W.W.R. 558 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 37].

Atkins v. Holubeshen (1984), 43 C.P.C. 166 (Ont. H.C.), affd. (1985), 50 C.P.C. 94 (Ont. Div. Ct.), affd. (1986), 23 C.P.C.(2d) 192 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 41].

Reid (Don) Upholstery Ltd. v. Patrie (1995), 173 A.R. 233; 32 Alta.L.R.(3d) 281 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 47].

Malcolm v. Carr and Chapton, [1997] 7 W.W.R. 371; 200 A.R. 53; 146 W.A.C. 53; 51 Alta. L.R.(3d) 66 (C.A.), reving. (1996), 186 A.R. 258; 40 Alta. L.R.(3d) 29; 6 C.P.C.(4th) 335 (Q.B.), consd. [para. 51].

Zukowski v. Royal Insurance Co. of Canada, [2000] 8 W.W.R. 449; 266 A.R. 81; 228 W.A.C. 81; 80 Alta. L.R.(3d) 203; 49 C.P.C.(4th) 205; 189 D.L.R.(4th) 476 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 54].

Counsel:

C.I. Taylor and D. Curcio, for the appellant;

R.J. Hunka, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard on December 14, 2001, by Slatter, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial District of Edmonton, who delivered the following decision on December 31, 2001.