Opinion ID: 1434951
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The trial court properly denied a new trial for alleged misconduct of the jury.

Text: We find no basis for reversal of the trial court's denial of a new trial upon defendant's proffered ground that the jury engaged in three types of misconduct: (1) the jury reached a chance verdict; (2) the jury foreman conferred with the bailiff concerning the legal effect of the jury's failure to reach a verdict; (3) two jurors presented facts to the jury which emanated from their independent research and personal knowledge. Defendant supported this contention by an affidavit of the single juror who had dissented from the verdict at the polling of the jury. Plaintiff countered with contradictory oral testimony of the foreman and two other jurors. (7) Initially we shall explain that in a hearing on a motion for new trial, the use of oral testimony, to which no objection is tendered, does not taint the procedure with a jurisdictional defect. Although we find no authority for the reception of oral testimony at the hearing on a motion for new trial, except in a case in which a necessary witness has refused an affidavit or deposition ( Saltzman v. Sunset Tel. etc. Co. (1899) 125 Cal. 501, 503 [58 P. 169]), we do not regard the procedure of proof as jurisdictional in nature. (Evid. Code, § 353; see Nichols v. Hast (1965) 62 Cal.2d 598, 601 [43 Cal. Rptr. 641, 400 P.2d 753; Pao Ch'en Lee v. Gregoriou (1958) 50 Cal.2d 502, 505-506 [326 P.2d 135]; Webber v. Webber (1948) 33 Cal.2d 153, 164-165 [199 P.2d 934]; Boynton v. McKales (1956) 139 Cal. App.2d 777, 782 [294 P.2d 733]; Witkin, Cal. Evidence (1966) §§ 1285-1287, at pp. 1188-1191.) (8) Defendant raised no objection in the trial court either to the form of plaintiff's proof or the lateness of the testimony, which came in after the 10-day period permitted by Code of Civil Procedure section 659a. (Cf. Cembrook v. Sterling Drug Inc. (1964) 231 Cal. App.2d 52, 66-67 [41 Cal. Rptr. 492] (hg. den.).) Under these circumstances, we cannot set aside on appeal the procedure followed by the court in permitting oral testimony on a motion for a new trial. As we have pointed out, defendant's motion rested in the first instance upon the ground that the jury had improperly arrived at a quotient verdict. At the date of the hearing on the motion, testimony of a juror was admissible to impeach a jury verdict only if such testimony tended to establish: (1) that the jury had arrived at a chance or quotient verdict; (2) that a juror had concealed bias on voir dire examination; (3) that a juror had concealed on voir dire examination that he did not intend to follow the court's instructions; and (4) that a juror was mentally incompetent at the time of trial. Affidavits or other testimony of a juror was not admissible to impeach a jury verdict for any other reason. ( Clemens v. Regents of the University of Cal. (1970) 8 Cal. App.3d 1, 18 [87 Cal. Rptr. 108] (hg. den.); see Code Civ. Proc., § 657, subd. 2; People v. Hutchinson (1969) 71 Cal.2d 342, 346-348, 351 [78 Cal. Rptr. 196, 455 P.2d 132].) (9, 10) Although a final quotient verdict has long been recognized as illegal (see Dixon v. Pluns (1893) 98 Cal. 384, 387 [33 P. 268]), and subject to impeachment upon a juror's affidavit (Code Civ. Proc., § 657, subd. 2), defendant's showing failed to establish that such a verdict has been reached here. Defendant alleged that the jury had arrived at its verdict by adding to a total sum the damages favored by each of the 12 jurors and then dividing that total sum by 12 to reach a final decision. Plaintiff, however, produced the testimony of two jurors indicating that the jurors had not agreed that they would be bound by the figure arrived at by this quotient method, that the jury later revised the quotient figure, and ultimately agreed upon the revised damages. (11) Hence, this case is governed by the rule set forth in Balkwill v. City of Stockton (1942) 50 Cal. App.2d 661, 671 [123 P.2d 596] (hg. den.): A quotient verdict does not necessarily constitute a chance verdict, provided the average sum which is thus procured is not adopted without subsequent consideration or balloting by the jurors. If, after a quotient figure is obtained, the jurors discuss and ballot upon the adoption or rejection of that sum, it is conclusive evidence they were not bound by a previous agreement to accept it without further consideration. (See Will v. Southern Pacific Co. (1941) 18 Cal.2d 468, 477-478 [116 P.2d 44]; City of Pleasant Hill v. First Baptist Church (1969) 1 Cal. App.3d 384, 433-435 [82 Cal. Rptr. 1] (hg. den.).) (12a) Defendant's two other grounds for a new trial were that (1) the bailiff had purportedly said A decision has to be arrived at in this case, which was heard by the jury and was interpreted by them to mean that the plaintiff would not retry his case in the event of a deadlock and (2) two jurors had engaged in their own research at home and had reported the results to the jury. Although, prior to People v. Hutchinson, supra, 71 Cal.2d 342, 346-348, a juror would not have been a competent witness to impeach a verdict on either of such bases (see Evid. Code, § 1150; People v. Gidney (1937) 10 Cal.2d 138, 146 [73 P.2d 1186]; Walter v. Ayvazian (1933) 134 Cal. App. 360, 363-365 [25 P.2d 526]), Hutchinson has expanded the rule. (13) Relying upon the then newly enacted Evidence Code, the Hutchinson court ruled, We therefore hold that jurors are competent witnesses to prove objective facts to impeach a verdict under section 1150 of the Evidence Code. (71 Cal.2d at p. 351; see People v. Stevenson (1970) 4 Cal. App.3d 443, 444-445 [84 Cal. Rptr. 349].) (12b) Apparently foreseeing the soundness of the Hutchinson approach, the trial court in the instant case permitted the introduction into evidence of both the dissenting juror's affidavit and the opposing oral testimony as to the conduct of the jury. The trial court considered this evidence; it denied the motions for new trial. Ample evidence supported its finding that misconduct did not occur, or that whatever conduct did occur could not have materially affected the substantial rights of defendant. (Code Civ. Proc., § 657.) As Witkin has observed, The trial judge is familiar with the evidence, witnesses and proceedings, and is in the best position to determine whether, in view of all the circumstances, justice demands a retrial. (3 Witkin, Cal. Procedure (1954), Attack on Judgment in Trial Court, § 10, at p. 2054.) Since the affidavits and oral testimony present questions of fact for the trial court, we do not disturb the findings of that court in the absence of a showing of a clear abuse of discretion. (See People ex rel. Dept. Pub. Wks. v. Hunt (1969) 2 Cal. App.3d 158, 172 [82 Cal. Rptr. 546]; Brickell v. Wittmar (1959) 175 Cal. App.2d 190, 195-196 [345 P.2d 494]; Monroe v. Lashus (1959) 170 Cal. App.2d 1, 6-7 [338 P.2d 13]; Dunford v. General Water Heater Corp. (1957) 150 Cal. App.2d 260, 265 [309 P.2d 958]; Buhl v. Wood Truck Lines (1944) 62 Cal. App.2d 542, 544-546 [144 P.2d 847] (hg. den.).) In the absence of a showing of an abuse of discretion, we conclude that the trial court's denial of the motion for a new trial must be upheld. In sum, since the trial court admitted and considered both the affidavit of the dissenting juror and the contradictory oral testimony of the jurors regarding the allegations of jury misconduct, and since the court's findings are supported by the evidence, we conclude that the court properly denied the motion for a new trial. The judgment is affirmed.