Opinion ID: 1807996
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Amendment of verdict.

Text: Feller claims the trial court should have amended the verdict and entered judgment in his favor. This court has ruled that a verdict in favor of a plaintiff, but with an award of no damages, is in fact and law a verdict in favor of the defendant. K & E Land and Cattle, Inc. v. Mayer, 330 N.W.2d 529 (S.D.1983); Lewis, supra . In such a situation, the trial court has the power to amend a verdict to make it conform to the intention of the jury. Lewis, supra at 498. Yet, before doing so, the trial court should be clear that the verdict is contrary to the intention of the jury. In this case, the jury may have concluded that Feller was negligent, but that damages were not established with reasonable certainty. Under such a scenario, the jury's verdict would conform to its intention, and amendment of the verdict would be inappropriate. Therefore, we deny the notice of review and affirm the trial court in all respects. MORGAN and MILLER, JJ., concur. WUEST, C.J., and HENDERSON, J., concur specially.