Soto Rodriguez v. The Kroger Co.

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
DALLAS DIVISION
MARIA DEL ROSARIO SOTO
RODRIGUEZ,
Plaintiff,
v.
THE KROGER CO.,
Defendant.
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Civil Action No. 3:25-CV-0576-X
MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER
Before the Court is Defendant The Kroger Co.’s Motion for Summary
Judgment. (Doc. 12). Finding that the facts are uncontested, the Court GRANTS
the motion.
This is a classic slip-and-fall premises liability case. Plaintiff Maria Del
Rosario Soto slipped and fell while at “a Kroger store at 3770 Belt Line Rd, Addison,
Texas” and brought premises liability, and respondeat superior claims against The
Kroger Co. in state court.1 Kroger Co removed.
Implicit in every premise liability or respondeat superior claim is the fact that
the defendant owns the property or employs the negligent party.2 The uncontested
facts are that Kroger Co. did not own or operate the Kroger store where the accident
1 Doc. 13.2 at 9–12.
2 United Scaffolding, Inc. v. Levine, 537 S.W.3d 463, 474 (Tex. 2017); Painter v. Amerimex
Drilling I, Ltd., 561 S.W.3d 125, 131 (Tex. 2018).
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occurred, nor did it employ any of the employees allegedly involved.3 And Soto has
failed to provide any facts showing otherwise.
Accordingly, Kroger Co. is entitled to judgment as a matter of law and Soto’s
claims are DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.
IT IS SO ORDERED this 8th day of January, 2026.
___________________________________
BRANTLEY STARR
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
3 Doc. 13.2 at 2, 46.
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