Case Name: Robin Earl MARLER and Rebecca Gail Marler, Appellants, v. Frank A. DUNN and Erna M. Dunn, Appellees
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1985-05-31
Citations: 763 F.2d 968
Docket Number: No. 84-2177
Parties: Robin Earl MARLER and Rebecca Gail Marler, Appellants, v. Frank A. DUNN and Erna M. Dunn, Appellees.
Judges: Before BRIGHT, ARNOLD, and FAGG, Circuit Judges.
Reporter: Federal Reporter 2d Series
Volume: 763
Pages: 968–970

Head Matter:
Robin Earl MARLER and Rebecca Gail Marler, Appellants, v. Frank A. DUNN and Erna M. Dunn, Appellees.
No. 84-2177.
United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit.
Submitted April 9, 1985.
Decided May 31, 1985.
Rehearing Denied July 2,1985.
John A. Michener, St. Louis, Mo., for appellants.
Samuel T. Yandover, St. Louis, Mo., for appellees.
Before BRIGHT, ARNOLD, and FAGG, Circuit Judges.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Appellants Robin and Rebecca Marler brought this action against appellees Frank and Erna Dunn for the wrongful death of their infant son. The jury returned a verdict for the Marlers for $90,000. The court granted the Dunns' motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict and the Marlers now appeal.
In 1982 a fire destroyed the house the Marlers rented from the Dunns. One of the Marlers' sons died in the fire. The fire was determined to have been caused by an electrical arc in a wall outlet. The Marlers' theory at trial was that the Dunns knew or, by exercising ordinary care, should have known of the faulty wiring which created the condition for an arc to occur, but negligently failed to repair it. They asserted that the Dunns retained control over the house and, consequently, had a duty to inspect and maintain it. In support, they introduced evidence that the Dunns' agent retained a key to the house and told the Marlers "to let her know if [they] had any problems." They also introduced the rental agreement in which the Dunns reserved the right, after first notifying the Marlers, "to inspect inside and outside property at least once a month if found necessary." The jury returned a verdict for the Marlers.
After the verdict was returned, the Dunns moved for judgment notwithstanding the verdict. The court granted the motion, ruling that the evidence presented was insufficient as a matter of law to establish that the Dunns could have known of the faulty wiring by using ordinary care. We have carefully reviewed the record in this case and affirm the judgment of the district court granting judgment notwithstanding the verdict on the basis of its memorandum opinion.
. The Honorable Edward L. Filippine, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri.