Opinion ID: 1182981
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Proof of Building Costs

Text: Defendant established the costs for constructing plaintiffs' home through the testimony of Alfred Whithers, who was engaged in the business of accounting, bookkeeping and tax services. Whithers testified that he had examined in detail the defendant's books and records (which were contained in boxes in the court room at the time); that he had audited the records and determined the total charges by inspection of every invoice charged to plaintiffs' contract; and that he had prepared a written summary of his findings developed from the audit. This summary of account, which showed that plaintiffs owed the amount alleged in defendant's counterclaim, was offered and received in evidence as an exhibit. Plaintiffs contend that admission of the summary was error. They assign a number of reasons, but essentially base their argument on the ground that the original cost records were not placed in evidence, in violation of the best evidence rule. We perceive no error. Whithers testified that because of the amount of records and the manner in which they had been kept, it was time-consuming to review them. To have required defendant to prove each original document would have been unduly burdensome to the court and would have unreasonably prolonged the trial of the case. In these circumstances it was within the proper exercise of the trial judge's discretion to permit a qualified person such as Whithers, who had examined in detail the entire mass of records, to state the result of his examination and use a summary to illustrate his conclusions. Plaintiffs' rights were properly protected since they had access to the original records had they wished to inspect them and test the correctness of the summary. [7] Plaintiffs also specify as error the failure of the trial court to allow certain items of damages resulting from defendant's alleged inefficient administration and job supervision, poor workmanship, lack of financial responsibility, waste and unfair cost allocations. This point was not briefed in accordance with Supreme Court Rule 11(a) (8) and therefore we shall not consider it. [8] At the beginning of the trial counsel entered into the following stipulation: In order to facilitate the trial set in this cause, and to shorten the time that would be involved, it is hereby stipulated and agreed by the parties hereto, by their respective counsel, that the evidence in this cause, both oral and written, as well as any depositions, shall be introduced and no objection raised thereto, as long as such evidence bears on the issues involved in this cause, and shall be accepted by the Court, subject, however, to objection and motion to strike made by respective counsel at the termination of the trial. We strongly disapprove of such an agreement. In administering the rules of evidence it is a cardinal precept that if one has an objection to the introduction of evidence he must voice his objection promptly, and that if he fails to do so the objection is waived. [9] The purpose of this requirement is to facilitate the administration of justice by permitting the trial judge to obviate any error that might otherwise occur if no objection were made, by permitting him to correct at the earliest possible time any error that may have occurred, and by allowing the adverse party the opportunity to remedy, if possible, any defect in his method of proof. These objectives are thwarted by the type of stipulation entered into in this case. If at the end of the trial the judge grants a motion to strike certain testimony or other evidence, and thus belatedly rules upon an objection that ought to have been made during the trial, there is little or no opportunity, short of granting a new trial, for the judge to correct an error that might have taken place in admitting such evidence, or for the adverse party to make his proof by some other method. [10] Such a practice is totally incompatible with the orderly type of trial contemplated by the rules of practice and procedure made and promulgated by this court. These rules may not be stipulated away or nullified by any agreement between the parties to litigation, even when such an agreement is acquiesced in by the trial judge. [11] The judgment is affirmed.