Opinion ID: 2217373
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Instruct on Detrimental Reliance

Text: Grzadzielewski also alleges that it was error for the court to omit any instruction on the issue of detrimental reliance. Grzadzielewski, however, failed to request such an instruction. Error cannot be assigned when counsel has failed to request an instruction unless such non direction amounts to misdirection of the jury. Fisher v. Suko, supra, 111 N.W.2d at 366, citing to Burkstrand v. Rasmussen, 77 N.D. 716, 45 N.W.2d 485 (1950). As we said in Vasichek v. Thorsen, 271 N.W.2d 555 (N.D.1978), [t]he failure of counsel to request an instruction waives any error by the trial judge in failing to give the appropriate or complete instruction. It is not reversible error for the trial court to fail to give an instruction provided that the instructions, as a whole, fully and fairly present the law on a particular issue. 271 N.W.2d at 561. In the case at bar the issue was whether or not there was a direct loss. Instructions were given on the main issue, and, in the absence of a request for an instruction on detrimental reliance, the court's failure to instruct the jury on the issue was not misdirection. Fisher v. Suko, supra, 111 N.W.2d at 366.