Opinion ID: 1374687
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The Trial Proceedings.

Text: On March 15, 1983, Ryan filed suit against the named defendants. Soria filed her suit on December 13, 1983, later amending her complaint twice. Sierra Pacific answered both complaints and cross-claimed against deHavilland. Transwestern answered both complaints and cross-claimed against Western Aircraft, Sierra Pacific, and deHavilland. The cases were later consolidated. The case went to trial on September 17, 1984, and continued, with some recesses, through October 15, 1984. On that date, the jury returned its special verdict finding Sierra Pacific negligent, which negligence was the proximate cause of the plaintiffs' injuries. The jury found Sierra Pacific 100 percent negligent and assessed damages as follows: for Soria, $1,000,000; for Ryan, $500,000; and as punitive damages, $750,000. On October 29, 1984, Sierra Pacific filed a motion for a new trial, arguing that the plaintiffs' damages were excessive, punitive damages were improper, and an agreement between the plaintiffs and deHavilland and Western Aircraft Maintenance, which is discussed below, should have been disclosed to the jury. The district court denied the motion and Sierra Pacific appeals to this Court. Both plaintiffs have also appealed the district court's decision not to award them attorneys' fees. The agreement referred to above was entered into by attorneys for the plaintiffs, deHavilland, and Western Aircraft Maintenance during the voir dire stage of the trial. The agreement was concluded before opening statements were given. In short, the agreement called for the following: de-Havilland and Western Aircraft Maintenance agreed not to contest plaintiffs' damage case against Sierra Pacific and Transwestern. In return, plaintiffs agreed to dismiss with prejudice their claims against deHavilland and Western Aircraft Maintenance. The plaintiffs also agreed to renounce any right to whatever proportion of total damages the jury might attribute to the two defendants. The two defendants would still have to defend against the cross-claims of Sierra Pacific and Transwestern. Shortly after the agreement was reached, the district court and attorneys for the non-agreeing defendants were notified of its contents. Sierra Pacific requested that the agreement's contents be disclosed to the jury. The district court refused to do so. As mentioned above, both plaintiffs and Sierra Pacific have appealed. Sierra Pacific lists 13 issues, which, for purposes of this appeal, can be reduced to five. Plaintiffs also have raised one issue. Sierra Pacific's appeal will be discussed first, and then plaintiffs' cross-appeal will be discussed. The five issues raised by Sierra Pacific are: (1) Did the district court err in refusing to grant Sierra Pacific's request to disclose the above-mentioned agreement to the jury? (2) Were the damage awards in favor of Ryan and Soria excessive? (3) Was the award of punitive damages improper or excessive? (4) Did various evidentiary rulings by the district court improperly prejudice Sierra Pacific? and (5) Did the district court err in awarding costs to deHavilland and Western Aircraft Maintenance? The plaintiffs each question whether the district court abused its discretion in refusing to grant them their attorneys' fees below. We remand in part on issues two and three, and we affirm the district court on all other issues.