Opinion ID: 871077
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The ICA's June 8, 2010 Summary Disposition Order

Text: On appeal before the ICA, Steigman asserted five points of error. Three points of error are no longer relevant to this appeal. The remaining two of the points of error concerned the known or obvious danger instruction: Steigman argued that the facts of her case did not support the instruction, and that the instruction fundamentally conflicts with Hawaii's comparative negligence statute. On November 16, 2010, the ICA filed a Summary Disposition Order affirming the trial court's judgment. Steigman v. Outrigger Enterprises, Inc., No. 28473, 2010 WL 4621838 (App. Nov. 16, 2010)(SDO). Therein the ICA affirmed the trial court's judgment on all five points of error. With regard to the known or obvious danger arguments, the ICA held that the instruction was proper because there was substantial evidence to support the jury's finding. Steigman, 2010 WL 4621838 at  n. 5. The court also held that there is no inherent conflict between the known or obvious doctrine and the comparative negligence statute, because the finding of a known or obvious danger completely absolves a landowner of his duty to people on his premises. Steigman, 2010 WL 4621838 at . The ICA's reasoning was as follows: [I]f the finder of fact determines that the hazard falls within the known or obvious doctrine, the question of comparative negligence is never reached as the defendant owes no duty to the plaintiff, and accordingly, cannot be negligent as a matter of law. In the absence of a legal duty owed to the plaintiff, there is no negligence to compare under HRS § 663-31. Steigman, 2010 WL 4621838 at . On December 16, 2010, the ICA filed its Judgment on Appeal. On February 10, 2011, Steigman filed a timely application for writ of certiorari. This court accepted Steigman's application on March 23, 2011 and heard oral argument on May 5, 2011.