Opinion ID: 1225544
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: martin's evidence is to be treated as having been adduced in joint defense

Text: ¶ 16 The trial tribunal admitted Martin's testimony as proof of a joint defense that is effective in behalf of all the respondents. COCA doubtless took the view that, when allowing Martin to adduce evidence in joint defense, the trial tribunal was authorizing him to make an impermissible appearance for all the respondents to be affected by the elicited testimony. This incorrect position cannot be sustained. ¶ 17 A joint proffer of evidence is, as a general rule, good if it serves alike all the jointly named parties. [16] The evidence elicited by one defendant inures to the benefit (or detriment) of all others who are situated alike. It can be set aside only upon a showing of error. At common law, a common defense had to be effective in the same sense in order to protect all persons in behalf of whom it was jointly offered. [17] If evidence favors more than one respondent, it will be deemed to inure to the benefit of them all. [18] Martin's proof adduces defenses available not only to him as an individual, but also to the other respondents in the claim. ¶ 18 By striking all evidence adduced by Martin, COCA impermissibly denied him any status in the case, even that of a named pro se respondent. The mere fact that he tendered evidence in joint defense available to all the respondents did not per se constitute an impermissible appearance on behalf of the corporate respondents and cannot hence be stricken from the record. As an individual respondent, Martin could elicit proof that would inure to the benefit of not only himself, as an individual, but also of the corporate respondents as well. Because Martin was presumptively acting in behalf of all respondents in the case, the evidence he adduced must be considered as joint proof for all the parties respondent. ¶ 19 Moreover, since proof adduced by Martin was treated by the trial tribunal and by the parties (for want of an objection) as evidence for all the respondents, an appellate court must presume that all the parties had intended the adduced proof to stand incorporated into the record tendered for review. [19]