Opinion ID: 2330170
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Denial of motion for judgment as a matter of law for appellant Carmine Vento and Ann M. Vento Revocable Family Trust

Text: FGA argues that the district court erred by denying its motion for judgment as a matter of law as to the Trust because a mere landlord cannot be held liable for physical harm caused by a dangerous condition on the premises. Giglio counters that the district court properly denied the Trust's motion for a judgment as a matter of law because its trustee, Carmine Vento, was also an operator of the restaurant and involved in deciding how the operation was set up, and mode of operation was one basis for liability. Giglio further argues that the Trust acted as more than a mere landlord. Giglio points out that Vento testified that the Trust held the gaming license for Carmine's Little Italy to permit the Trust to continue operating the business if something happened to him and that all of the income from the restaurant went to the Trust. FGA replies that the mode of operation theory cannot support liability for the Trust and the only support in the record for Giglio's argument that the Trust is more than a landlord is the trial testimony that the Trust's name was also listed on Carmine's gaming license. This court reviews a district court's denial of a motion for judgment as a matter of law de novo. Nelson v. Heer, 123 Nev. 217, 223, 163 P.3d 420, 424-25 (2007). A motion for judgment as a matter of law may be granted if the opposing party `failed to prove a sufficient issue for the jury,' so that [the] claim cannot be maintained under the controlling law. Id. at 222, 163 P.3d at 424 (quoting NRCP 50(a)(1)). The court must view all evidence and inferences in favor of the nonmoving party. Id. A landlord is not liable for injury caused by the negligent actions of its tenant. Wright v. Schum, 105 Nev. 611, 612-13, 781 P.2d 1142, 1142-43 (1989). However, a landlord is still subject to the duty of all persons to exercise reasonable care not to subject others to an unreasonable risk of harm. Id. at 614, 781 P.2d at 1143 (quotations omitted). In Wright, the plaintiff was mauled by a pit bull and sued the landlord and owner of the premises from which the dog had escaped. Id. at 612, 781 P.2d at 1142. The landlord had previously received complaints from neighbors about the dog's aggressiveness and had assured them that he would take care of the problem by asking his tenants to get rid of the dog or move out of the house. Id. at 614-15, 781 P.2d at 1143-44. However, he allowed the tenants to stay and keep the dog because they promised to keep the dog in the house or chained in the yard. Id. at 615, 781 P.2d at 1144. This court held that while the landlord was not liable because of his status as a landlord, there was a material issue of fact as to whether he was liable as an individual because he voluntarily undertook to discharge part of the dog owner's duty to the general public to prevent the dog from leaving the leased premises and harming others. Id. at 613-18, 781 P.2d at 1143-46. Here, like the landlord in Wright, the Trust is potentially liable not based on its status as a landlord, but rather based on its own actions. In denying FGA's motion for a judgment as a matter of law, the district court stated that it was the jury's decision to make a determination as to whether or not the way [the restaurant] was set up from the mode of operation standpoint resulted in a potentially hazardous condition that the property owner and the business owner or the FGA is responsible for. Because we now hold that the mode of operation approach does not apply in the sit-down restaurant context, any jury will not be instructed on this approach. Thus, the basis for the district court's ruling is no longer present in this case. Therefore, the district court must determine whether Giglio presented sufficient evidence for the jury to find the Trust liable based on its own conduct. [8] Accordingly, we vacate the district court's order denying judgment as a matter of law and reverse the district court's judgment. We remand this matter to the district court for a new decision on the motion for judgment as a matter of law and for further proceedings in light of this opinion. [9] We concur: HARDESTY and PARRAGUIRRE, JJ.