Opinion ID: 2408739
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: the whitehurst claim

Text: Evidence was heard to the effect that E.B. Whitehurst had made a claim against the Board for a sum greater than was due to him for services rendered. In fact, Whitehurst testified that he had done this and that he had made payment to McGuire of the excess in the sum of $6,178.60, by way of a kick-back. There was sufficient evidence to warrant the court's finding of fact in connection with this incident, despite the denial by McGuire. The court awarded judgment against McGuire and Whitehurst in favor of appellees for the $6,178.60. Whitehurst has not appealed from the judgment as to him. Appellant McGuire urges that the judgment must be reversed as to the Whitehurst claim because the trial judge held a hearing outside the territorial limit of the circuit court district. CR 77.02. We hold that there was no hearing within the meaning of CR 77.02, despite the fact that the trial judge did attend the taking of the evidence of Whitehurst. It should be noted that Whitehurst was critically ill and under close care of physicians. It became apparent that his deposition should be taken at Ashland, Boyd County. Conflicting reports were received from the doctors as to whether Whitehurst could give his deposition. One of the doctors reported that the deposition could be taken if it were limited to two hours and done under appropriate limitations looking toward the welfare of the health of the witness. The trial judge announced that he intended to be present at the deposition and control it as completely as possible insofar as any harmful effect to the witness occurred. It is true that the judge ultimately said that the deposition would be a hearing, but we do not find that controlling. We consider that the judge exercised a sound discretion by being present in order to prevent any possible danger to the witness in these circumstances. There is no suggestion that appellant was in any manner prejudiced by the judge's presence. Even if his being there could be called error, which we doubt, it certainly was not prejudicial. CR 61.01 precludes our using the incident as a basis for reversal. Accordingly, the judgment for $6,178.60 as to the Whitehurst claim is affirmed. We turn to consideration of the separate assignments of error in behalf of appellants W. E. Stevens and W. L. Gearhart. We preface this phase of the opinion by noting that judgment was entered against McGuire, Whitehurst and Gearhart, jointly and severally, for $1,938.40, as the aggregate sum shown to have been illegally expended from the Board's funds for services and supplies to a building owned by McGuire and Gearhart. Judgment was entered against Whitehurst and Gearhart for $175.18 for supplies furnished Gearhart and paid for from the Board's funds. Judgment was entered against W. E. Stevens for certain excess payments for buses and a truck; the aggregate of the judgment for these items is $8,821.62.