Anne Shacklett v. Anthony A. Rose

**What happened:** Anne Shacklett worked for a catering company and was injured when she fell down an outside staircase while leaving a private home after dark following a catering event. She sued the homeowners, Anthony A. Rose and others, claiming they were responsible for her injuries. The homeowners asked the trial court to dismiss the case, arguing they had no legal responsibility to keep their property safe for the catering worker. **What the court decided:** The trial court initially sided with the homeowners and dismissed the case. However, the appeals court disagreed and sent the case back to the lower court for further proceedings. The appeals court found there were still important factual questions that needed to be resolved before determining whether the homeowners had a duty to maintain safe conditions for visiting workers. **Why this matters for workers:** This ruling is significant because it keeps alive the possibility that property owners may have legal obligations to ensure safe conditions for workers who come onto their property as part of their jobs. The decision suggests that workers injured on someone else's property while performing work duties may still have legal options, even when the property owner claims no responsibility.