Opinion ID: 880201
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: standard of review

Text: In Hudelson v. Delta International Machinery Corp., 142 Idaho 244, 248, 127 P.3d 147, 151 (2005) (citations omitted), we stated the standard of review of an order granting a new trial as follows: When reviewing a trial judge's grant of a new trial on appeal, this Court applies the abuse of discretion standard. A trial judge has wide discretion to grant or deny a request for a new trial, and we will not overturn the judge's decision absent a showing of a manifest abuse of discretion. Although we will review the evidence, we primarily focus upon the process used by the trial judge in reaching his or her decision, not upon the result of that decision. The trial judge is in a far better position than we to weigh the demeanor, credibility and testimony of witnesses and the persuasiveness of all the evidence. Therefore, we do not weigh the evidence. Our inquiry is: (1) whether the trial judge correctly perceived the issue as one of discretion; (2) whether the trial judge acted within the outer boundaries of his or her discretion and consistently with the legal standards applicable to the specific available choices; and (3) whether the trial judge reached his or her decision by an exercise of reason.