Opinion ID: 1811133
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: The Chancery Court erred in denying Valley Forge a jury trial on the counterclaim for bad faith.

Text: Valley Forge filed its declaratory judgment action in the Chancery Court of Jackson County. After the Stricklands filed their counterclaim seeking punitive damages, Valley Forge filed a motion requesting a jury trial or, in the alternative, a transfer to Circuit Court. The judge denied both these motions and proceeded to trial. This assignment of error calls upon the Court to revisit the conflict between Article 3, Section 31 and Article 6, Section 147 of the Mississippi Constitution. These sections provide, in relevant part: The right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate,... . Article 3, Section 31. No judgment or decree in any chancery or circuit court rendered in a civil cause shall be reversed or annulled on the ground of want of jurisdiction to render said judgment and decree, from any error or mistake as to whether the cause in which it was rendered was of equity or common-law jurisdiction. .. . Article 6, Section 147. This Court unquestionably extended the power to impose punitive damages to Chancery courts in Tideway, supra . We did so with full knowledge of our prior decisions holding that a chancellor's failure to provide a jury trial is not grounds for reversal. See e.g. Louisville & Nashville R.R. Co. v. Hasty, 360 So.2d 925, 926 (Miss. 1978). Indeed, in Tillotson v. Anders, 551 So.2d 212 (Miss. 1989), the majority stated, Section 31 [constitutional right to jury trial] is of no effect in chancery. (footnote 2). Thus, this assignment of error is without merit. In a proper case this Court may someday reconsider the holding in Tillotson, but we see no reason to grapple with the issue in a case where the complaining party chose the Chancery court as the forum.