Opinion ID: 1839167
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Defendants argued several grounds for new trial in the lower court and assert their denial is reversible error.

Text: On voir dire examination plaintiff's counsel asked: Are you or any member of your family employees or stockholders or officers or directors of the Western Insurance Company of Fort Scott, Kansas? Defendants made timely motion for mistrial asserting the mention of a specific insurance company goes one step beyond the accepted general question in regard to any interest in or connection with an insurance company. Litigants have the right to examine prospective jurors on voir dire in order to enable them to select a jury composed of persons qualified and competent to judge and determine the facts in issue without bias, prejudice or partiality. The extent of such examination cannot be governed by fixed rules, but is subject to the sound discretion of the trial court, the exercise of which we will not interfere with unless abuse is shown. Elkin v. Johnson, 260 Iowa 46, 49, 50, 148 N.W.2d 442, 444, and citations. We have repeatedly approved proper inquiry of prospective jurors regarding interest in or connection with insurance companies. Lamaak v. Brown, 259 Iowa 1324, 1328, 147 N.W.2d 915, 917, and citations. In Montanick v. McMillin, 225 Iowa 442, 450, 280 N.W. 608, 613, where reference was made to a particular insurance company we quote the following from Raines v. Wilson, 213 Iowa 1251, 1262, 239 N.W. 36, 40: `The question which we are now considering has been passed upon by numerous courts, including our own. The overwhelming majority of the courts sustain the right of counsel for the plaintiff, in a personal injury case, so long as he acts in good faith for the purpose of obtaining information upon which to exercise his peremptory challenges of the jurors and not for the purpose of informing the jury that an insurance company is back of the defendant of record, to interrogate prospective jurors by one form or another of questions, with respect to their interest in, or connection with, insurance companies. See 56 A.L.R., pages 1456, 1457, 1458. Twenty-seven of our sister states have passed upon the question and sustained the plaintiff's right to propound an inquiry such as was the one propounded in the instant case. See Note in 56 A.L.R., pages 1456-1458, and cases there cited. It is clearly apparent that, if a litigant were denied the right to propound the question asked the jurors in the instant case, he might be compelled to accept a juror who is a stockholder in an insurance company, and probably the very one having defendant's liability insured.' Nothing in this record shows want of good faith on the part of plaintiff's counsel. He was not guilty of any persistent course or effort to impress upon the jury that defendants' liability was insured. We must note jurors are aware most people carry liability insurance and that fact is not to influence their verdict. We find no abuse of the trial court's discretion. IV. The next matter argued by defendants concerns another voir dire question by plaintiff's counsel. After examining the prospective jurors he asked this general question: Now, is there anybody on the panel who is going to have a hardship of some kind, a personal hardship, if they are selected to serve as a juror in this case? One prospective juror answered he could not afford the financial loss and was excused by the court with defense counsel's consent. Defendants assert the question of hardships must be left to the court lest it may appear counsel is attempting to curry favor with the jury. We do not agree. It relates to a juror's competency. We find no abuse of the trial court's discretion in permitting the question propounded by plaintiff's counsel. V. Defendants claim also the trial court erred in permitting plaintiff to reopen her case at the close of all evidence. As part of plaintiff's case in chief the trial court admitted into evidence a copy of the city ordinance establishing the ambulance service and fixing the charge for that service. At the close of the evidence that ruling was changed and the trial court announced the jury would not be allowed to see and consider it. Thereafter plaintiff's motion to reopen was sustained and plaintiff related admissions against interest made by defendant Scott where he stated parents were charged for ambulance service furnished minors. Rule 192, Rules of Civil Procedure, provides: Further testimony for mistake. At any time before final submission, the court may allow any party to offer further testimony to correct an evident oversight or mistake, imposing such terms as it deems just. We have said many times the trial court enjoys a wide discretion in reopening a case for the reception of additional testimony. In re Estate of Allen, 251 Iowa 177, 184, 185, 100 N.W.2d 10, 14, and citations. We are not prepared to say, under this record, the trial court abused that discretion.