Opinion ID: 2064572
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: plaintiff's request to stand in the courtroom

Text: On the day of trial, defense counsel moved to prohibit Mrs. Brons from leaning on the corner of the door over which is printed the word `justice.' He argued that plaintiff's continued standing for a week would prejudice the jury; he suggested that she be made to sit, and when she became uncomfortable, she could go into the corridor and walk around. Plaintiff's counsel responded that it was painful for the plaintiff to sit. He cited generally the reports of her treating physician. The court ruled that it was its policy not to allow standing in the courtroom and suggested that Mrs. Brons stand in a conference room at the back of the courtroom with the door ajar. The court refused plaintiff's request for an explanation to the jury why she was not in the courtroom, believing such a statement would come close to commenting on the credibility of the evidence. As a result of the court's order that she could not stand in the courtroom, the plaintiff elected to stand in the conference room. [9, 10] Plaintiff claims this arrangement violated her common law right to be present at her trial and effectively denied her constitutional right to a jury trial [ See: Art. I, Sec. 5, Wis. Const.; sec. 805.01(1), Stats.] because she could not participate in the conduct of the trial. The general rule is that a party to a civil action has a right to be present at trial. 88 C.J.S. Trial sec. 40, at 99 (1955). However, the general conduct of a trial is largely within the discretion of the judge presiding. Dowd v. Palmer, 245 Wis. 593, 596, 15 N.W.2d 809 (1944). [11, 12] The trial court did not abuse its discretion in forbidding the plaintiff to stand at the rear of the courtroom. The record demonstrates that the court was solicitous of the plaintiff's well-being but was concerned that the jury would be unduly distracted by her standing. The jury had ample opportunity to observe the plaintiff, who testified from the witness chair. The court recessed about every half hour during the plaintiff's testimony to enable her to stand and walk about. The plaintiff in her postverdict motions said she could sit 30 to 40 minutes; she could have sat in the courtroom and asked for frequent recesses. Counsel for the plaintiff acknowledged that he did not need her at the counsel table. During the trial plaintiff did not advise the court that she had any difficulty hearing while in the conference room with the door open. The court noted in its ruling that it had no notice and had not seen any medical reports that Mrs. Brons was unable to sit. The plaintiff's alleged inability to hear parts of the testimony because of noise from adjacent bathroom fixtures was not brought to the trial judge's attention during the trial and first appeared in an affidavit filed in support of her postverdict motions. We conclude the court's suggestion that the plaintiff either sit in the courtroom or stand in the conference room was a reasonable accommodation of the interests of all parties and was not a denial of the plaintiff's right to a trial by jury. We approve the trial court's refusal to instruct the jury concerning the plaintiff's absence from the courtroom under these circumstances.