Opinion ID: 2634503
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Amendment to the Pleadings

Text: [¶13] Mr. Befumo asserts the district court permitted a trial by ambush because it allowed Mr. Johnson to change his theory at the beginning of trial, present evidence on an issue not pled in the complaint and then amend his pleadings at the close of his case. Until the day of trial, he argues, Mr. Johnson's theory was that Mr. Befumo, FEMCO and Mr. Sikorski breached their fiduciary duty to the trust beneficiaries by failing to distribute assets, engaging in self-dealing and failing to provide accountings. Then, on the morning of trial, Mr. Johnson suggested for the first time that Mr. Befumo acted beyond his authority in transferring trust assets from the Wilkoske trusts to a new trust (the RW & NW trust) and that all subsequent acts as RW & NW trust were ultra vires. Citing Ayne v. Hixon, 53 Or. 19, 98 P. 515 (1908), Mr. Befumo contends he was entitled to adequate notice of and an opportunity to defend against what he characterizes as a substantive change in the plaintiffs' theory. [¶14] Mr. Johnson asserts there was no error because W.R.C.P. 15 allows a party to move to amend pleadings to conform to the evidence at any time and gives the trial court broad discretion to allow such amendments when the merits of the action will be promoted thereby and the objecting party fails to show prejudice will result. Mr. Johnson contends Mr. Befumo failed to show prejudice, and impliedly consented to the amendment by failing to request a continuance. [¶15] Wyoming Rule of Civil Procedure 15(b) provides in pertinent part as follows: (b) Amendments to conform to the evidence.  When issues not raised by the pleadings are tried by express or implied consent of the parties, they shall be treated in all respects as if they had been raised in the pleadings. Such amendment of the pleadings as may be necessary to cause them to conform to the evidence and to raise these issues may be made upon motion of any party at any time, even after judgment; but failure so to amend does not affect the result of the trial of these issues. If evidence is objected to at the trial on the ground that it is not within the issues made by the pleadings, the court may allow the pleadings to be amended and shall do so freely when the presentation of the merits of the action will be subserved thereby and the objecting party fails to satisfy the court that the admission of such evidence would prejudice the party in maintaining the party's action or defense upon the merits. The court may grant a continuance to enable the objecting party to meet such evidence. Pursuant to the language of the rule, in order for this Court to address the issue raised by Mr. Befumo, we must consider whether a new issue was tried by express or implied consent of the parties, whether a motion was made to conform the evidence to the pleadings and, if so, by whom, whether an objection was made at the trial and if any showing of prejudice was made, and whether Mr. Befumo moved for or the district court offered to grant a continuance to enable him to meet the evidence. From the record before us, we are unable to determine the answers to any of these questions because Mr. Befumo did not designate the transcript upon which he relies as part of the record on appeal. [¶16] Pursuant to W.R.A.P. 3.05(b), Mr. Befumo was required to file a designation of all parts of the record . . . to which appellant intends to direct the particular attention of the appellate court in its brief. [2] Although Mr. Befumo quotes portions of the trial transcript in his appellate brief, he did not designate the transcript as part of the record on appeal. As the appellant, Mr. Befumo had the burden of providing this Court with a complete record on which to base a decision. Orcutt v. Shober Inv., Inc., 2003 WY 60, ¶9, 69 P.3d 386, ¶9 (Wyo. 2003). Having no other means to review the district court's decision, we must assume the decision was in accord with the law. Id.