Case Title: Johnson v. Citizens Casualty Company of New York

Citation: 321 P.2d 640, 63 N.M. 460

Docket Number: 

State: new-mexico

Court: New Mexico Supreme Court

Date: 1958-02-04T00:00:00Z

Document:
321 P.2d 640 (1958) 63 N.M. 460 Glenn M. JOHNSON and Faye Pursley Johnson, his wife, Plaintiffs-Appellants and Counter-Defendants, Cross-Appellees, v. CITIZENS CASUALTY COMPANY OF NEW YORK and Bygel G M C Truck and Tractor Company, a Corporation, Defendants-Appellees and Counter-Claimants, Cross-Appellants. No. 6263. Supreme Court of New Mexico. February 4, 1958. *641 Robert Hoath LaFollette, Albuquerque, for appellants. Gilbert, White & Gilbert, Santa Fe, for appellees. LUJAN, Chief Justice. The plaintiffs claim: That on April 13, 1953, the plaintiff, Glenn M. Johnson, had a collision with his Mack truck, thereby damaging the engine, undercarriage and other parts to the extent and degree that the same was inoperatable; that the defendant, Casualty Citizens Company of New York, insured plaintiffs for collision and upset in the sum of $14,000, less $250 deductible, covering their Mack truck; that said insurance company, through its agent, Homer D. Bray, caused the same to be delivered to the defendant, Bygel GMC Truck & Tractor Company, a corporation, for repairs; that plaintiff, Glenn M. Johnson, on said occasion informed and advised said insurance company that the Bygel Company, in his opinion was not equipped nor had the necessary skill or knowledge to repair said Mack truck; that notwithstanding said protest the same was nevertheless delivered to the Bygel Company for repairs; that the Bygel Company undertook to repair said truck and warranted that the same would be repaired and redelivered to plaintiffs within a reasonable time in good operating condition; that the Bygel Company by its inability and negligence did not properly repair said truck whereby the same could be utilized; that as a proximate result of said negligence plaintiffs have been damaged; that Bygel Company breached their contract of warranty by failure to complete repairs within a reasonable time and to return said truck in a good mechanical condition. Plaintiffs further claim that the defendant, Citizens Casualty Company, also breached their contract of insurance by failure to authorize and to pay for repairs reasonably necessary to replace the truck in good mechanical condition. The defendants denied plaintiffs' claim, except, the Citizens Casualty Company admits that it issued to the plaintiffs a policy of insurance under which it assumed the obligations specified therein, and that it delivered to the Bygel Company said truck for the making of certain specified repairs and that the said Bygel Company undertook to make the repairs which were specified. The Citizens Casualty Company counterclaimed and alleged: "That on or about the 6th day of June, 1953, the counterdefendant, G.M. Johnson, for a valuable consideration, made, executed and delivered to this counterclaimant his promissory note in the principal sum of $733.00, payable seven months after date. That said note was due and payable and prayed judgment therefor." The cause came on for trial to a jury on June 13, 1955, which resulted in a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs. Thereafter, and on October 18, 1955, on motion made by the defendants, the district court disapproved, *642 vacated and set aside the verdict of the jury and granted defendants a new trial. On February 21, 1956, after the first trial had been held and a new trial ordered a pre-trial conference order was made and entered by Judge McManus, as follows: This order was endorsed by counsel for plaintiffs as follows: "Submitted: W. Peter McAtee." No objections or exceptions were interposed to the making and entering of this order, hence it became the law of the case. The correctness of Judge McManus' pre-trial order is not before us for review, since neither the evidence on the previous trial which was considered by him in connection with the making and entering the same, nor the proceedings on the pre-trial conference are included in the transcript upon this appeal. See, Carroll v. Bunt, 50 N.M. 127, 172 P.2d 116. In settling the bill of exceptions, Judge Reidy certified: On November 8, 1956, a pre-trial conference was held before Judge Robert W. Reidy. Counsel for plaintiffs did not then and there move to modify or revoke Judge McManus' order but interposed the following objection: The decisive question before this court for decision is whether Judge Reidy committed error in ruling that he was bound by the pre-trial order made and entered by *643 Judge McManus, as being the law of the case. Plaintiffs-appellants contend this was error, defendants-appellees contend otherwise. Our Rule of Civil Procedure No. 16 was framed upon Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 16, 28 U.S.C.A. Each rule states that one of the objectives is the simplification of the issues. The purpose of the pre-trial conference is to simplify the issues, amend the pleadings where necessary, and to avoid unnecessary proof of facts at the trial. It provides that the pre-trial order should control the subsequent cause of action, unless modified at the trial to prevent manifest injustice. We are of opinion, and so hold that since Judge McManus' pre-trial order was made and entered without any objections or exceptions thereto, and thereafter no motion having been made to modify the same, the course of trial was controlled by the issues framed in the original order; it became the law of the case and Judge Reidy was bound thereby. In McCarthy v. Lerner Stores Corporation, D.C., 9 F.R.D. 31, Judge Holtzoff, speaking for the court said, and we quote with approval: See, also, United States v. Wood, D.C., 61 F. Supp. 175; Montgomery Ward & Company v. Northern Pacific Terminal Company, D.C., 128 F. Supp. 520; Owen v. Schwartz, 85 U.S.App.D.C. 302, 177 F.2d 641, 14 A.L.R.2d 1337. Appellants have assigned other points for reversal of this case, but because of that which has been said, it is unnecessary to discuss those propositions. The judgment of the district court should be affirmed. It is so ordered. McGHEE, COMPTON and KIKER, JJ., concur. SADLER, J., not participating