Opinion ID: 426287
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Fuller's Negligence Claim Against SGE.

Text: 43 The district court gave the following jury instruction on the standard of care owed by architects: 44 In performing its duties, an architect must possess and apply the knowledge and use the skill and care that is ordinarily used by reasonably well-qualified architects in the locality in which he practices or in similar localities in similar cases and circumstances. A failure to do so is a form of negligence that is called malpractice. 45 The only way in which you may decide whether Schmidt, Garden & Erickson possessed and applied the knowledge and used the skill and care which the law required of it is from evidence presented in this trial by architects called as expert witnesses. You must not attempt to determine this question from any personal knowledge you have. 46 This instruction was modeled after the medical malpractice jury instruction set forth in Illinois Pattern Jury Instructions, Civil Sec. 105.01 (2d ed. 1971). 47 Fuller contends that the district court erred in giving the malpractice jury instruction with respect to Fuller's negligence claim against SGE, and in refusing to give its proffered instruction which imposed on SGE a lesser duty, i.e., to use only ordinary care, 10 particularly with respect to SGE's role of supervising the construction. Additionally, Fuller argues that regardless of the standard of care required, the district court erred in instructing the jurors that SGE's negligence could be established only by way of expert testimony, because the jurors could evaluate SGE's conduct based on common knowledge. 48 We conclude that the district court properly held SGE to the standard of care ordinarily demanded of architects, both in the performance of its supervisory duties and the preparation of plans. Miller v. De Witt, 59 Ill.App.2d 38, 89-92, 111-12, 208 N.E.2d 249, 273-75, 284 (4th Dist.1965), aff'd in pertinent part and rev'd in part on other grounds, 37 Ill.2d 273, 226 N.E.2d 630 (1967). 11 Other courts also have applied the professional standard of care to supervisory and administrative activities as well as to the preparation of plans and designs. See, e.g., Peerless Insurance Co. v. Cerny & Associates, Inc., 199 F.Supp. 951, 955 (D.Minn.1961); Nauman v. Harold K. Beecher & Associates, 24 Utah 2d 172, 467 P.2d 610, 615 (1970); 530 East 89 Corp. v. Unger, 43 N.Y.2d 776, 402 N.Y.S.2d 382, 373 N.E.2d 276, 277 (1977); Evans v. Howard R. Green Co., 231 N.W.2d 907, 913 (Iowa 1975). 12 49 We also find that the district court correctly instructed the jury regarding the necessity of expert-witness testimony to prove a breach of an architect's standard of professional conduct. The standard of care ordinarily expected of architects in executing their obligations is generally not a matter of common knowledge, 13 although a particular case may only call upon the common sense of laymen or involve gross negligence obvious to lay observation. See generally Walski v. Tiesenga, 72 Ill.2d 249, 256, 21 Ill.Dec. 201, 207, 381 N.E.2d 279, 285 (1978); Annot., Necessity of Expert Testimony to Show Malpractice of Architect, 3 A.L.R. 4th 1023 (1981). 50 Fuller charges that SGE acted negligently in authorizing extra compensation for changes in the structural steel design, in approving certain charges for extra services and in assuring payment for delay claims. Analogous claims of malpractice occurred in Peerless Insurance Co. v. Cerny & Associates, Inc., 199 F.Supp. 951, 953 (D.Minn.1961), and 530 East 89 Corp., 43 N.Y.2d 776, 402 N.Y.S.2d 382, 383, 373 N.E.2d 276, 277 (1977). In Peerless Insurance Co., the court considered expert-witness testimony in finding the defendant architect negligent in approving and certifying payments. The architect in 530 East 89 Corp. allegedly delayed inordinately long in responding to objections made by the city's department of buildings and procrastinated in remedying the problems; the court ruled that such allegations of architectural malpractice were not within the competence of an untutored layman to evaluate. 402 N.Y.S.2d at 383, 373 N.E.2d at 277. 51 Here, too, the acts of which Fuller complains are not within the realm of jurors' common experience and observation. To properly assess SGE's actions, the jury needed a witness with an expertise in the field of architecture to explain the nature of the judgment calls SGE made and the accuracy to be expected. 52