Opinion ID: 2173982
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The jury verdict and the admissibility of the jurors' letter and affidavits to impeach the verdict.

Text: A. The scope of review for determining the substance of the verdict is for correction of errors at law. Prendergast v. Smith Labs, Inc., 440 N.W.2d 880, 884 (Iowa 1989). The Lunds argue that the jurors' letter and formal verdict as expressed in the verdict form must be taken together to form the true verdict of the jury. At least, the Lunds argue, the letter and verdict form are irreconcilable and therefore require a new trial on the matter. We are not convinced by either argument. We have previously held that a note or written message attached to a verdict was mere surplusage, and the manner in which the jury reached its verdict inhered in the verdict. In Cavanaugh v. Jepson, 167 N.W.2d 616 (Iowa 1969), the jury sent a written note out of the jury room just before it returned its verdict in favor of the defendant. The note stated, [w]e found both parties guilty. In discussing whether this note could be considered in the plaintiff's appeal, we stated: We do not believe this note can be considered in determining the basis for the jury's verdict anymore than any other statement of one or more jurors could. The proceedings in the jury room and the manner in which the jury reaches its verdict, in the absence of misconduct or fraud, inhere in the verdict. An oral statement, or even an affidavit, by a juror setting forth this same information could not be used to explain, enlarge, or set aside a verdict. We see no reason for a different rule here. We have several times held a note or written message attached to a verdict and not in response to an interrogatory was mere surplusage. Id. at 624. We agree with the trial court that the letter returned with the sealed verdict is an expression of the frustration a jury would naturally feel in a difficult case, and is not intended to controvert or alter the formal verdict returned in the same envelope. The letter begins, [w]hile we, the members of the jury, have found in favor of the Defendants, which affirms the formal verdict. Its terms are precatory in nature: we wish to express our concern; we recommend; we strongly suggest; and the jury recommends and strongly suggests. Precatory words express an entreaty, request, desire, wish, or recommendation. See In re Hansen, 264 N.W.2d 746, 749 (Iowa 1978); Black's Law Dictionary 1176 (6th ed. 1990). The jury based its suggestion that Dr. McEnerney pay some of the Lunds' expenses on moral obligations, not on a finding of negligence. Finally, the note returned during deliberations, in which the jury reported that it had difficulty applying and accepting the court's instructions regarding negligence, implies that the jury was frustrated at the prospect of finding injury at the hands of the defendants and yet assigning no responsibility because the doctor acted with the requisite skill and care. Unlike the authority from other jurisdictions cited by the Lunds, the trial judge's belief was not used to improperly reform the jury verdict. See Wright v. Mayberry, 158 Ariz. 387, 391, 762 P.2d 1341, 1345 (Ct.App.1988). Although the accompanying letter is not in the nature of answering special interrogatories submitted to the jury, we also consider the principles behind the well-settled rule that, when special interrogatories appear inconsistent with a general verdict, all reasonable presumptions are given in favor of the general verdict. Dutcher v. Lewis, 221 N.W.2d 755, 761 (Iowa 1974); Fischer v. Hawkeye Stages, 240 Iowa 1203, 1206-07, 37 N.W.2d 284, 286 (1949). Under these circumstances, we hold that the letter is not inconsistent with the formal verdict and is mere surplusage that cannot be considered part of the jury's verdict nor be used to impeach the jury's verdict. As such, the letter does not affect the formal verdict by requesting remedies unauthorized by law. B. Iowa Rule of Evidence 606(b) provides: Upon an inquiry into the validity of a verdict or indictment, a juror may not testify as to any matter or statement occurring during the course of the jury's deliberations or to the effect of anything upon his or any other juror's mind or emotions as influencing him to assent to or dissent from the verdict or indictment or concerning his mental processes in connection therewith, except that a juror may testify on the question whether extraneous prejudicial information was improperly brought to the jury's attention or whether any outside influence was improperly brought to bear upon any juror. Nor may his affidavit or evidence of any statement by him concerning a matter about which he would be precluded from testifying be received for these purposes. See also Fed.R.Evid. 606(b). In Iowa, we have adopted the federal rule, which provides that juror affidavits may be used to impeach a verdict if external pressures affected that verdict, but may not use such affidavits to impeach a verdict based on internal workings of a jury. The rule was adopted in Ryan v. Arneson, 422 N.W.2d 491 (Iowa 1988), which upheld the trial court's refusal to accept juror affidavits to impeach a punitive damages award as a quotient verdict: Based on Iowa's adoption of language identical to Federal Rule of Evidence 606(b), and the policy reasons for insulating the manner in which the jury reaches its verdict, we now adopt the federal rule which protects each of the components of deliberation including juror arguments, statements, discussions, mental and emotional reactions, votes, and any other feature of the process occurring in the jury room. Id. at 495; see also Hobbiebrunken v. G & S Enters., Inc., 470 N.W.2d 19, 22 (Iowa 1991) (juror affidavits could not be used to challenge the damages award based on jurors' speculation of the plaintiff's affluence). This is a similar case. The juror affidavits do not relate to any external pressure bearing on the decision-making process, but relate directly to internal deliberations, discussions, and mental and emotional reactions that the rule is meant to insulate. In Prendergast, 440 N.W.2d at 884, we permitted jury testimony to show that the jury had failed to make any determination of total damages. Jury affidavits satisfied the court that the jury had failed to complete the adjudicative process, and the court granted a new trial on the issue of damages. Id. However, we stated: If the issue were whether a verdict may be overturned because it was induced by the jury's misunderstanding of the court's instructions, rule 606(b) would render juror testimony inadmissible for purposes of achieving that result.... Once that finding has been solemnized in a formal verdict accepted by the court it may not be impeached on the ground that it was induced by juror misapprehension as to the controlling principles of law. Id. This is not a case of a jury's failure to decide the issue before it. The letter appears to be a product of dissatisfaction with the result that the law required when the jury applied the facts of the case to the instructions given. The jurors' letter and affidavits cannot be used to impeach the formal verdict in favor of the defendants.