Opinion ID: 1653760
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: was the verdict inadequate, because it was confusing and prepared by only one of twelve jurors?

Text: ¶ 34. Before deliberation, the court gave the jury an instruction (No. D-Exxon-9A) with special interrogatories pertaining to Exxon. The instruction asked the jury to either find in favor of Exxon or to find in favor of Kimmins against Exxon with a blank for the jury to enter the amount of its verdict against Exxon. Following the verdict amount were 9 yes or no questions asking the jury to indicate whether the verdict included amounts for specific claims brought by Kimmins. The last 2 questions asked the jury, Does your award, if any, duplicate any award that you have previously made against either Seaboard/St. Paul or Sentinel/Centre. When the jury returned with a verdict, they submitted a handwritten verdict instead of using the printed interrogatories. The handwritten verdict followed the language of Instruction D-Exxon-9A, but the questions regarding duplication were placed before the jury's award of damages against Exxon. ¶ 35. The jury verdict was read in open court, and the jury was polled without objection by any of the parties. Sometime after the parties were excused and Kimmins's counsel had left, counsel for the defendants asked Judge Jones to see the actual verdict and noticed the discrepancies between the form of the verdict given to the jury and the form of the jury's actual handwritten verdict. When this was brought to the trial judge's attention, he attempted to return the typed form to the jury to be completed, but at least some of the jurors had already left. Apparently, the jury foreman completed the form and returned it to the court for filing. The form he filled out contained the same answers as those in the handwritten jury verdict, with the only difference being the altered order of responses as described above. ¶ 36. The defendants argue that the jury was confused and failed to follow the court's instructions by answering the interrogatories in relation to Sentinel/Centre and Seaboard/St. Paul instead of Exxon, thereby rendering the verdict improper and invalid. They claim that since the court had discharged the jury, and they could not be sent back for further deliberations to properly complete the form, the trial judge should have ordered a new trial based upon jury confusion. ¶ 37. Rule 49(c) of the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure governs the use of a general verdict accompanied by answers to interrogatories: The court, in its discretion, may submit to the jury, together with instructions for a general verdict, written interrogatories upon one or more issues of fact the decision of which is necessary to a verdict. The court shall give such explanation or instruction as may be necessary to enable the jury both to make answers and to render a general verdict. When the general verdict and the answers are harmonious, the appropriate judgment upon the verdict and answers shall be entered. When the answers are consistent with each other but one or more is inconsistent with the general verdict, judgment may be entered consistent with the answers, notwithstanding the general verdict, or the court may return the jury for further consideration of its answers and verdict or may order a new trial. When the answers are inconsistent with each other and one or more is likewise inconsistent with the general verdict, judgment shall not be entered, but the court shall return the jury for further consideration of its answers and verdict or shall order a new trial. Miss. R. Civ. P. 49(c). The defendants point to Rule 49 and assert that the two versions of the verdict are inconsistent. However, they fail to point out how they are inconsistent. We find that the verdict satisfies the requirements of Rule 49, because the jury's answers to the interrogatories are not inconsistent with the jury's general verdict. ¶ 38. More on point are Mississippi's statutes regarding defective verdicts. If the verdict is informal or defective, the court may direct it to be reformed at the bar.... Miss.Code Ann. § 11-7-159 (1972). If the verdict is not responsive to the issue submitted to the jury, the court shall call their attention thereto and send them back for further deliberation. Miss. Code Ann. § 11-7-161 (1972). The defendants argue that the jury's handwritten verdict was defective and not responsive. Since the trial judge was unable to return it to the entire jury for further deliberation, they argue that a new trial is in order. ¶ 39. We disagree. The intent of Exxon's interrogatories was to prevent duplication of damage awards between Exxon and the other defendants. Jury instructions must be read as a whole when reviewing them on appeal. Fred's Stores of Miss., Inc. v. M & H Drugs, Inc., 725 So.2d 902, 917 (Miss.1998). The jury is presumed to have followed the trial court's instructions. Steele, 697 So.2d at 378. In this case, Jury Instruction P-31 informed the jury that it could not duplicate any award concerning a claim against Exxon Chemical Fertilizer Company for Quantum Meruit with any award concerning the same claim against the other Defendants, if any. We assume that the jury followed the court's instruction, and that the handwritten jury verdict accurately reflects the intent of the jury to award damages in this case without duplication. Because the handwritten jury verdict contains a statement that the award does not duplicate any award previously made against Sentinel/Centre or Seaboard/St. Paul, we find that the verdict satisfies the intent of the interrogatories. ¶ 40. No special form of verdict is required, and where there has been a substantial compliance with the requirements of the law in rendering a verdict, a judgment shall not be arrested or reversed for mere want of form therein. Miss.Code Ann. § 11-7-157 (1972). ... (T)he basic test with reference to whether or not a verdict is sufficient as to form is whether or not it is an intelligent answer to the issues submitted to the jury and expressed so that the intent of the jury can be understood by the court. This well-established rule of law has long been recognized by this Court.... Harrison v. Smith, 379 So.2d 517, 518-19 (Miss.1980) ( quoting Henson Ford, Inc. v. Crews, 249 Miss. 45, 160 So.2d 81 (1964)). The only difference between the form of the verdict given to the foreman to fill out and the handwritten jury verdict was the order of the responses regarding duplication of awards. This change in order does not alter the meaning or intent of the verdict. The verdict was clear, responsive, and consistent with the interrogatories so as to meet the requirement for a valid jury verdict. ¶ 41. Further, any error in the jury's use of a handwritten verdict instead of the form provided by the trial court was harmless. The order of the jury's verdict does not affect its award of damages against Sentinel/Centre and Seaboard/St. Paul, so those defendants can show no prejudice resulting from the format of the verdict. As discussed below, in Issue I of the Cross-Appeal, the trial court was correct in granting Exxon its motion for J.N.O.V. As a result, Exxon can show no prejudice resulting from the form of the jury verdict in this case. Any flaw in the jury's verdict amounts to harmless error.