Opinion ID: 1764507
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: is the verdict dismissing the counterclaim of stella erroneous and contrary to the evidence produced at trial?

Text: Stella argues that the jury improperly dismissed her counterclaim against Neal Hoff for malicious prosecution because she proved all of the elements by a preponderance of the evidence. Stella argues that she proved Neal Hoff initiated the prosecution with malice. Her argument is that she proved that Neal Hoff did commit a wrongful and unlawful act willfully and deliberately which the jury can infer to be malicious. Shoemaker v. Sonju, 15 N.D. 578, 108 N.W. 42 (1906); Redahl v. Stevens, 64 N.D. 154, 250 N.W. 534; Mahanna v. Westland Oil Co., 107 N.W.2d 353 (N.D.1960). The wrongful act she claims to have proved is that Neal Hoff lied in the affidavit in support of his criminal complaint. Neal Hoff stated in his affidavit that he obtained possession of the house on May 11, 1978, and that Stella refused to turn over possession of the house at that time. Stella also points out that one of the seven items listed on the affidavit as stolen was a sewer snake which belonged to Gilbert Rummel and not to Neal Hoff. Stella was required to prove that Neal Hoff instituted the criminal prosecution with malice and without probable cause. See Redahl v. Stevens, 64 N.D. 154, 250 N.W. 534, 535 (N.D.1933). We believe that the facts are such that the jury could conclude that Hoff acted with probable cause and without malice. The fact that one of the seven items listed in Hoff's affidavit belonged to Gilbert Rummel and not to Hoff does not conclusively establish the prosecution to be malicious. The allegation that Hoff was to receive possession of the house on May 11, 1978, is unrelated to the issue of whether or not Stella took property belonging to Neal Hoff. The evidence is clear that Stella took a number of items that had been sold to the appellees and, consequently, that did not belong to her. She admits to having taken the Sears Kenmore stove, the water heater, the chandelier, the china cabinet, the steel cabinets, and the bedroom carpeting. Stella's argument that Neal Hoff committed a wrongful and unlawful act willfully and deliberately in connection with the criminal charge was not accepted by the jury and she did not sustain her burden of proof and we believe the facts are such that reasonable men could conclude that Neal Hoff acted without malice and with probable cause. The credibility of witnesses and the weight to be given their testimony are questions for the jury. Mahanna v. Westland Oil Co., 107 N.W.2d 353, 358 (N.D. 1960). Therefore, the jury's dismissal of Stella's counterclaim against Neal Hoff is not erroneous.