Source: https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/330/212.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 19:18:51+00:00

Document:
See 331 U.S. 794 , 67 S.Ct. 1725.
The petition for certiorari challenged the power of an appellate court to direct entry of a judgment notwithstanding the verdict where timely motion for such a judg- [330 U.S. 212, 215] ment had not been made in the District Court. On three previous occasions we have granted certiorari to consider this point but failed to reach it because, upon examination of the evidence, we found it sufficient to justify submission of all three cases to the jury. Conway v. O'Brien, 312 U.S. 492 , 61 S.Ct. 634; Berry v. United States, 312 U.S. 450 , 61 S.Ct. 637; Halliday v. United States, 315 U.S. 94 , 62 S. Ct. 438. In this case we granted certiorari 'limited to the questions of federal procedure raised by the petition for the writ.' 329 U.S. 701 , 67 S.Ct. 57. The point we had in mind was whether a party's failure to make a motion in th District Court for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, as permitted in Rule 50(b), precludes an appellate court from directing entry of such a judgment. Other questions have been discussed here, but we do not consider them. Consequently, we accept, without approving or disapproving, the Circuit Court of Appeals' holding that there was prejudicial error in the admission of evidence and in the submission of the case to the jury.
In this case had respondents made a timely motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, the petitioner could have either presented reasons to show why he should have a new trial, or at least asked the court for permission to dismiss. If satisfied from the knowledge acquired from the trial and because of the reasons urged that the ends of justice would best be served by allowing petitioner another chance, the judge could have so provided in his discretion. The respondent failed to submit [330 U.S. 212, 218] a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict to the trial judge in order that he might exercise his discretionary power to determine whether there should be such a judgment, a dismissal or a new trial. In the absence of such a motion, we think the appellate court was without power to direct the District Court to enter judgment contrary to the one it had permitted to stand.
It has been suggested that the petitioner could have presented affidavits to the Circuit Court of Appeals to support his claim for a new trial, and that that court could thereupon have remanded the question to the District Court to pass upon it. 6 Such a circuitous method of determining the question cannot be approved. For Rule 50(b) specifically prescribes a period of ten days for making a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict. Yet the method here suggested would enable litigants to extend indefinitely the prescribed ten day period simply by adoption of the expedient of an appeal. Furthermore, it would present the question initially to the appellate court when the primary discretionary responsibility for its decision rests on the District Court.
[ Footnote 1 ] Under governing South Carolina law an action such as this is not one to try title but 'to recover damages for trespass of property of which the plaintiff was in possession.' Macedonia Baptist Church v. City of Columbia, 195 S.C. 59, 70, 10 S.E.2d 350, 355. But possession may be presumed from proof of legal title. Beaufort Land and Investment Co. v. New River Lumber Co., 86 S.C. 358, 68 S.E. 637, 30 L.R.A.,N.S., 243; Haithcock v. Haithcock, 123 S.C. 61, 115 S.E. 727; Code of Laws of South Carolina (1942) 377. Petitioner here undertook to prove possession both by showing that he had legal title and by showing that he had openly and notoriously exercised acts of dominion, possession, and ownership over a long period of years.
[ Footnote 2 ] Respondent first moved to dismiss the case on the same grounds under Rule 41(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, 28 U.S.C.A. following section 723c. That rule provides for a dismissal, under the circumstances and conditions there set out where 'upon the facts and the law the plaintiff has shown no right to relief.' Since substantially the same disposition of the case on the same grounds was later requested by respondent in the motion for a directed verdict, we shall have no occasion further to discuss the motion to dismiss.
[ Footnote 3 ] 50(b) 'Reservation of Decision on Motion. Whenever a motion for a directed verdict made at the close of all the evidence is denied or for any reason is not granted, the court is deemed to have submitted the action to the jury subject to a later determination of the legal questions raised by the motion. Within 10 days after the reception of a verdict, a party who has moved for a directed verdict may move to have the verdict and any judgment entered thereon set aside and to have judgment entered in accordance with his motion for a directed verdict .... A motion for a new trial may be joined with this motion, or a new trial may be prayed for in the alternative. If a verdict was returned the court may allow the judgment to stand or may reopen the judgment and either order a new trial or direct the entry of judgment as if the requested verdict had been directed. If no verdict was returned the court may direct the entry of judgment as if the requested verdict had been directed or may order a new trial.
[ Footnote 4 ] The Advisory Committee on Rules for Civil Procedure in commenting on Rule 50(b) stated that 'A trial court or an appellate court in setting aside a verdict always has discretion, if justice requires it, to order a new trial, instead of directing the entry of judgment. Rule 50(b) states that the court on a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict 'may either order a new trial or direct the entry of judgment' for the moving party.' Report of Proposed Amendments to Rules of Civil Procedure (1946) 66. See also New York Symposium on Federal Rules (1938) 283-284. Compare March v. Philadelphia & West Chester Traction Co., 285 Pa. 413, 132 A. 355; Nadeau v. Maryland Casualty Co., 170 Minn. 326, 331, 212 N.W. 595; Anderson v. Newsome, 193 Minn. 157, 258 N.W. 157; Porsmer v. Davis, 152 Minn. 181, 188 N.W. 279; Jackson v. Hansard, 45 Wyo. 201, 218, 17 P.2d 659.
[ Footnote 5 ] Rule 41(a)(2), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, has been interpreted as authorizing a plaintiff to dismiss his action 'without prejudice where the court believes that although there is a technical failure of proof there is nevertheless a meritorious claim.' Report of Proposed Amendments to Rules of Civil Procedure (1946) 64; see United States v. Lyman, 1 Cir., 125 F.2d 67; Lyman v. United States, 1 Cir., 138 F.2d 509; Home Owners' Loan Corporation v. Huffman, 8 Cir., 134 F.2d 314, 317.
[ Footnote 6 ] This general suggestion was made by the Advisory Committee on Rules for Civil Procedure in its recent recommendation to us for modification of Rule 50(b). The Committee said: 'Even on appeal, if the appellate court sets aside his verdict, he may present to the appellate court affidavits to support his claim to a new trial, and the appellate court has power to receive the affidavits and remand the case to the trial court with instructions to consider the affidavits and determine whether a new trial should be allowed.' Report of Proposed Amendments, supra, 66.

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