Opinion ID: 1743527
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Negligent Entrustment/AMI 609 Jury Instructions.

Text: For her first argument on appeal, Berniece Balentine alleges that the trial judge erred in a) denying her motion for a directed verdict on the issue of negligent entrustment, b) instructing the jury on negligent entrustment, and c) rejecting her motion for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict. These arguments are essentially a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence, and thus should be considered together. See, Medlock v. Burden, 321 Ark. 269, 900 S.W.2d 552 (1995). When reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence, this court reviews the evidence and all reasonable inferences arising therefrom in the light most favorable to the party on whose behalf judgment was entered. Anselmo v. Tuck, 325 Ark. 211, 924 S.W.2d 798 (1996). The verdict will be affirmed if there is substantial evidence to support it. Medlock, supra . Substantial evidence is evidence that passes beyond mere suspicion or conjecture and is of sufficient force and character that it will with reasonable and material certainty compel a conclusion one way or the other. Id. In the present case, the jury found that Balentine negligently entrusted her station wagon to Billy Sparkman. To establish negligent entrustment under Arkansas law, the plaintiff must show that: 1) the entrustee was incompetent, inexperienced, or reckless; 2) the entrustor knew or had reason to know of the entrustee's conditions or proclivities; 3) there was an entrustment of the chattel; 4) the entrustment created an appreciable risk of the harm to the plaintiff and a relational duty on the part of the defendant; and 5) the harm to the plaintiff was proximately or legally caused by the negligence of the defendant. Renfro v. Adkins, 323 Ark. 288, 914 S.W.2d 306 (1996); Mann v. Orrell, 322 Ark. 701, 912 S.W.2d 1 (1995). On appeal, Balentine alleges that there was insufficient evidence to support the jury's finding on the first and second elements of negligent entrustment.