Opinion ID: 2604144
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the instruction on joint and several liability

Text: The concept of joint and several liability is a legal principle of long-standing in Idaho. Shields v. Martin, 109 Idaho 132, 706 P.2d 21 (1985); Odenwalt v. Zaring, 102 Idaho 1, 624 P.2d 383 (1981); Tucker v. Union Oil Co. of California, 100 Idaho 590, 603 P.2d 156 (1979). [1] This court has long held that when tortious acts of several parties concurrently cause an injury, each tortfeasor is liable for the whole of the damage. (Citations omitted). As stated in Seattle First National Bank v. Shoreline Concrete, supra [91 Wash.2d 230, 588 P.2d 1308 (1978)]: Joint and several liability is premised upon causation and indivisibility of the harm caused. Tucker, supra, 100 Idaho at 600, 603 P.2d at 166. Idaho Code § 6-803(3) generally limits consideration of the relative degrees of fault of joint tortfeasors to the question of contribution between themselves. We also hold that a limitation of liability based on proportionate fault, ... would be inconsistent with I.C. § 6-803(3) which provides: When there is such a disproportion of fault among joint tortfeasors as to render inequitable an equal distribution among them of the common liability by contribution, the relative degrees of fault of the joint tortfeasors shall be considered in determining their pro-rata share solely for the purpose of determining their rights and contribution among themselves, each remaining severally liable to the injured person for the whole injury as at common law. Tucker, 100 Idaho at 598-599, 603 P.2d at 164. (Emphasis supplied). The Lunas argue that Instruction No. 53 improperly allowed the jury to disregard the law of joint and several liability by adjusting its findings in order to achieve a certain result in the award of damages. The Lunas point to the following language from Instruction No. 53 as particularly inappropriate: ... in addition to recovery for the percentage of damage caused by Shockey Sheet Metal and Welding Company the plaintiffs may be allowed to recover from Shockey Sheet Metal and Welding Company some or all of the plaintiffs' damages including that percentage, if any, caused by Ore-Ida. The Lunas argue that the instruction misrepresented the law by stating that the jury could apportion which degree of causation was attributable to Shockey Sheet Metal and which, if any, was attributable to Ore-Ida when, in fact, under the law of joint and several liability, harm is not divisible. Additionally, the Lunas argue that by directing the jury to a consideration of who will pay the judgment, the trial court was implicitly condoning the tailoring of findings to achieve the desired award, thereby subverting the jury process. In addition to those policy concerns, the Lunas cite to our holding in Holland v. Peterson, 95 Idaho 728, 518 P.2d 1190 (1974), wherein we held: The general rule, and the one we adopt today, is that it is reversible error for the trial court to instruct the jury as to what the effect their answers will have on the final outcome of the case. Holland, 95 Idaho at 732, 518 P.2d at 1194. As an aid in determining whether Instruction No. 53 contravenes our holding in Holland, supra, and allows for jury misconduct, both the Lunas and Shockey Sheet Metal invite our attention to Seppi v. Betty, 99 Idaho 186, 579 P.2d 683 (1978). In Seppi, we fashioned an exception to the general rule in Holland, by allowing the trial court to apprise the jury of the workings of the concept of comparative negligence (i.e., how that concept operates to determine a prevailing party). In Seppi, we expressed our belief that, [i]rrespective of whether one considers it a virtue or a vice, the tendency of juries to adjust their verdicts to accord with their notions of the justice of the cause is an inherent characteristic of juries and will be with us as long as we continue to have juries. Seppi, 99 Idaho at 193, 579 P.2d at 690. We then went on to hold that, in the comparative negligence context, it was better to equip jurors with knowledge of the effect of their findings than to let them speculate in ignorance and thus subvert the whole judicial process. Seppi, 99 Idaho at 193, 579 P.2d at 690. We noted that Idaho's comparative negligence rule, which bars recovery when the plaintiff's negligence is 50% or more, poses a trap for the uninformed jury. And, therefore, a jury, not knowing the critical importance Idaho law places on a finding of 50% negligence, may reach such a verdict too quickly and without carefully examining the facts. Seppi, 99 Idaho at 193, 579 P.2d at 690. In short, not informing the jury of the effect of a 50% negligence finding in many cases is likely to cause an unjust result and produce a judgment which does not reflect the wisdom of the jury or their view of the facts, but only their ignorance of Idaho law. Seppi, 99 Idaho at 194, 579 P.2d at 691. Similarly, the doctrine of joint and several liability, under which a defendant assessed a mere 1% negligence may be required to pay 100% of plaintiff's damages if, for some reason, the joint tortfeasor is unreachable through the judicial process, poses a trap for the uninformed jury. An informed jury will be much more likely to carefully examine the facts prior to reaching a verdict holding a defendant even 1% at fault, no matter how cosmetically appealing a partial allocation of fault might be. In Kaeo v. Davis, 719 P.2d 387 (Hawaii 1986), the Hawaii Supreme Court, relying in part upon our holding in Seppi, held that, if requested and under appropriate circumstances, the trial court should inform the jury of the possible legal consequences of a verdict apportioning negligence among joint tortfeasors. The Kaeo court determined that it was more desirable for the courts to explain the operation of the law to the jury than to perpetuate a system which encourages mistaken speculation by ignorant jurors. In view of the reasoning in Seppi and Kaeo, as well as our belief that the doctrine of joint and several liability does, in fact, pose a trap to an ill-informed jury, it is appropriate for the trial courts to inform the jury of the effect their findings may have under an application of the doctrine of joint and several liability. While so holding, we do not overrule Holland v. Peterson, supra , as that case continues to state the general rule regarding issues which do not require articulation to avoid hidden or obscure pitfalls. Further, we do not mandate that the trial courts inform the jury of the legal effect of their findings in all cases where the doctrine of joint and several liability is implicated. Instead, as in Seppi, we grant the trial court discretion as to whether or not to inform the jury of the legal effect of its findings, contingent upon whether the trial court believes an instruction might confuse or mislead the jury. In the instant case, the giving of Instruction No. 53 was not reversible error. [2] In a related argument, the Lunas contend that counsel for the defense made several improper statements regarding Instruction No. 53, in effect enticing the jury to manipulate its determination of negligence and change its award of damages. The statement at issue reads as follows: Now, that means if you found Ore-Ida 97% responsible for this accident, Mary Luna 1% and Shockey 2%, all or some of this 97% attributed to Ore-Ida can be recovered from Shockey. Now, that's the law. If that's what you think is the correct result in this case, then so be it. You just have to make that decision, but you ought to be aware of that effect.. . If they (Ore-Ida) can do all those things, and Shockey has to pay the whole freight, that doesn't encourage them (Ore-Ida) to be safe. If you want to send a message to Ore-Ida, then what you ought to do is find 100% cause of this accident on the part of Ore-Ida. If you really believe that's what happened. [Sic] And you're not sending any kind of message to be safe in the operation of a fryer if you make Shockey pay for their mistakes. We find no impropriety in the above statement. Defense counsel neither misstated the law nor argued with the merits of the law. Instead, the jury had the law and its effect explained to them. It is entirely consonant with our holding today to permit such argument, as it furthers an underlying goal of encouraging careful, informed deliberations by juries rather than well-meaning, but often misguided, speculation.