Opinion ID: 2462994
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Restoration of the boat

Text: Mr. Johnson's second argument is based on the jury's verdict to have the boat delivered to Mr. Gilliland. In his directed-verdict motion, Mr. Johnson argued that the boat was incapable of restoration to Mr. Gilliland, and, on appeal, he argues that the redelivery to Mr. Gilliland should be set aside on that basis. He argues that if property sought in replevin has become so intermingled with the bailee's property so as not to be identifiable as the same property, the replevinor does not have to return the property. In support of this argument, Mr. Johnson cites Standard Inc., v. Standard Coin-op Distributors, 238 Ark. 489, 382 S.W.2d 888 (1964). It is not clear whether Mr. Johnson is arguing that such a case requires a finding that there is no further obligation to the true owner or simply that damages must be accepted in place of the property itself. In either case, Standard does not support Mr. Johnson's contentions. In the Standard case, the plaintiff had sent two dry-cleaning machines to the defendant for reconditioning. When the machines were not returned, the plaintiff made a request for them, but it was refused. The plaintiff filed for replevin, and, as a defense, the defendant argued that the plaintiff had not made a proper demand for a return of its goods because it was not able to identify its machines. The plaintiff prevailed and was awarded damages for the value of its machines. On appeal, the defendant in Standard again argued that the plaintiff had failed to identify its goods and therefore had not made a proper demand. We pointed out that the only reason the plaintiff was unable to identify its machines was because the defendant had disassembled them and intermingled the parts with other like machine parts belonging to the defendant. We further held that, in such a case, the answer is not to deny the plaintiff his recovery, but to find that the action is one of conversion and to hold the defendant liable for the value of the property. Obviously, this case does not support an argument that such intermingling denies the true owner any recovery. Alternatively, if Mr. Johnson is arguing that the boat was incapable of identification, there was no error to deny judgment notwithstanding the verdict on that basis. In Standard , there was simply no basis for the plaintiff's identification of the constituent parts. Here, there was reasonable basis for Mr. Gilliland's identification of the boat.