Opinion ID: 1135389
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Disregard by the Jury of the Court's Instructions

Text: Carlson contends the district court erred in declaring a new trial. A new trial may be granted when the jury manifestly disregards the court's instructions. NRCP 59(a); [2] Brascia v. Johnson, 105 Nev. 592, 594, 781 P.2d 765, 767 (1989); Weaver Brothers, Ltd. v. Misskelley, 98 Nev. 232, 234, 645 P.2d 438, 439 (1982); Taylor v. Silva, 96 Nev. 738, 740, 615 P.2d 970, 971 (1980). [T]his basis for granting a new trial may only be used if the jury, as a matter of law, could not have reached the conclusion that it reached. Brascia, 105 Nev. at 594, 781 P.2d at 767; see M & R Investment Co. v. Mandarino, 103 Nev. 711, 716, 748 P.2d 488, 491 (1987); Van Duzer v. Shoshone Coca Cola, 103 Nev. 383, 384-85, 741 P.2d 811, 813 (1987); Town & Country Electric v. Hawke, 100 Nev. 701, 702, 692 P.2d 490, 491 (1984). We find no evidence that the jury in the instant case manifestly disregarded Jury Instruction No. 4. On the contrary, the record on appeal reveals substantial compliance with the jury instruction. The general verdict form returned by the jury stated, We, the jury, duly impaneled in the above-entitled case, find for the Plaintiff and against the Defendants and, without reduction for Plaintiff's comparative negligence, if any, assess the Plaintiff's damages at $ 160,000, with the sum of 160,000 being handwritten. (Emphasis added.) As the district court was preparing to dismiss the jury, the court realized the special verdict form had not been completed, and the court inquired of the foreman of the jury as to why the special verdict form was left blank. The foreman indicated that the jury believed only the general verdict needed to be completed and that it was merely an oversight that the special verdict was not completed. The foreman stated that the jury did find the percentage of negligence attributable to each party. The foreman also stated that the figure placed on the general verdict form was the sum total of [the jury's] calculations and the end result of the calculation. The foreman told the district court that the jury determined the percentage of negligence attributable to both parties, ascertained a total dollar figure, and after that, according to our computations, derived the bottom line number. When the district court asked the jury to return to the deliberating room to complete the special verdict, the foreman stated that the jury would follow the court's wishes, but that the bottom line figure wouldn't change. The jury returned with a special verdict assessing Carlson's negligence at ten percent and Locatelli's at ninety percent. Upon returning, the jury indicated they had followed the instructions of Jury Instruction No. 4 in completing the special verdict form and apportioning the comparative negligence. When polled, each juror who voted to find Locatelli liable responded that the special verdict accurately reflected his or her apportionment of negligence between the parties. We find from the jury foreman's statements that the jury clearly entered on the general verdict form Carlson's net recovery rather than Carlson's total damages calculated before reduction for contributory negligence. While the general verdict form called for damages without reduction for the plaintiff's contributory negligence, the jury articulated the method it used in deriving the figure written on the general verdict form, and this method, which included apportioning relative negligence between the parties and assessing the plaintiff's total damages, comported with the method set forth in Jury Instruction No. 4. Although the jury went one step further and calculated Carlson's net recovery, the jury also clearly explained its actions to the district court. Contrary to the findings of the district court, the jury clearly understood Jury Instruction No. 4 and properly determined the relative negligence of the parties and the total damages suffered by Carlson. We find no evidence in the record that the jury manifestly disregarded Jury Instruction No. 4. Once the foreman of the jury realized the jury's mistake in making the final calculation and determining Carlson's net recovery, the foreman indicated he would need to change the amount written on the general verdict to reflect the total damages found by the jury before Carlson's negligence was taken into account. The district court refused to return to the jury the general verdict and sent them back into deliberations with only the special verdict. The district court should have returned both the general and special verdicts to the jury so that the jury could enter an amount on the general verdict form which did not take into account Carlson's contributory negligence. In Amoroso Constr. v. Lazovich and Lazovich, 107 Nev. 294, 810 P.2d 775 (1991), reh'g granted in part, we stated that a defect in a jury award may be cured by returning the verdict to the jury for further consideration. Id. at 297-98, 810 P.2d at 777-78 (citing Novack v. Hoppin, 77 Nev. 33, 44, 359 P.2d 390, 395 (1961)); see Eberhard Mfg. Co. v. Baldwin, 97 Nev. 271, 272, 628 P.2d 681, 682 (1981) (a court may inform a jury why its verdict is defective and send the jury back for additional deliberation). We further intimated the desirability of clarifying the verdict immediately, as the time to determine whether a verdict is inconsistent with Nevada law is before the court dismisses the jury. Amoroso Constr., 107 Nev. at 298, 810 P.2d at 778; see Eberhard Mfg. Co., 97 Nev. at 273, 628 P.2d at 682 (policy considerations favor the correction of any errors or irregularities in a verdict at the trial level, prior to the discharge of the jury). In fact, where a jury returns an inconsistent verdict, it is incumbent upon the trial court to attempt to clarify the verdict, and such an effort to determine what the jury intended by its verdict generally will not impermissibly delve into the mental processes of the jury in reaching the verdict. Amoroso Constr., 107 Nev. at 298, 810 P.2d at 778. Where possible, the verdict should be salvaged so that no new trial is required. See id. see also Brascia v. Johnson, 105 Nev. 592, 596 n. 2, 781 P.2d 765, 768 n. 2 (1989) (where inconsistent verdicts are returned, party must challenge the verdicts before the jury is discharged and failure to object while the jury [is] still available and able to clarify its verdict constitute[s] a waiver). The district court in this case erred in granting a new trial because the jury did not manifestly disregard Jury Instruction No. 4. The district court also erred in failing to make a more concerted effort to save the jury's verdict prior to dismissing the jury. Where we can save a jury verdict by making a simple calculation, we will. The statements of the jury foreman clearly indicate the figure of $160,000.00 on the general verdict form represents the jury's computation of Carlson's net recovery, taking into account Carlson's contributory negligence. By extrapolation, using the jury's determination that Carlson was ten percent responsible for her injuries and Locatelli was ninety percent responsible, we find the jury awarded Carlson $177,777.77 in total damages. While this is an unusual figure, we have no reason to doubt that the jury made all appropriate and necessary calculations. We have carefully considered Carlson's other contentions of error, and we find them to be without merit. Accordingly, we reverse the district court's order granting a new trial and remand this case to the district court with instructions to reinstate the jury verdict with a net recovery of $160,000.00 and to enter judgment accordingly. [3]