Opinion ID: 1136544
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: repetitious instructions.

Text: The trial judge gave six instructions requested by the plaintiff on the general law of damages [5] and five specific instructions requested by the plaintiff separately detailing the damages in issue including amnesia, plastic surgery, mandibular displacement, concussion and contusion, and chipped teeth. [6] All of the instructions but two were objected to. We feel that on retrial an effort should be made to reduce the number of instructions dealing with the general law of damages. In Johnson v. Tsukahara, 51 Haw. 28, 33, 448 P.2d 822, 825 (1968) this court said that [r]epetition of the same proposition in several instructions is generally a matter within the sound discretion of the trial court and is not reversible error. In this case we are faced with the task of putting some flesh on the bones of judicial discretion in this area. The reason for limiting repetitious instructions is not, as the defendant contends, that the issue of damages will otherwise be over-emphasized. Damages were the principal issue in this case. The vice to be controlled here is the misleading of the jury resulting from the cumulative effect of repetitious instructions, however relevant and correct, because of the great respect the jury has for the judge and his views. Orlando v. Northcutt, 103 Arizona 298, 303, 441 P.2d 58, 63 (1968). The mere numerical redundancy of instructions is not the operative test for prejudice. Each case must be considered separately and in light of its own facts, keeping in mind the point that a fair and complete single instruction on each issue is most desirable. Based on that rule the trial court did not abuse its discretion in giving separate instructions with respect to the separate injuries to Marlene. She was entitled to separate consideration as to each of these injuries, any one of which might have supported an action for damages, although it would have been preferable to combine the instructions and eliminate repetition wherever possible. On the other hand, the instructions dealing with the general law of damages told the jury in varying degrees of detail and in different language six times that they were to compensate plaintiffs for all damages which were the direct and proximate result of the accident. Beyond informing the jury of the law of damages, in our view, the multiple instructions came precariously close to upsetting the climate of reason which must prevail in a jury trial and gave the outward impression that perhaps the trial judge had formed an opinion in this case as to the preferred result. For that reason, on retrial such instructions should be corrected to give the jury fewer and yet comprehensive instructions on the general law of damages. We are aware of opinions by this court stating that it is error for the trial court to refuse to give an instruction which correctly states the law and which is not adequately covered by other instructions. Kometani v. Heath, 50 Haw. 89, 98, 431 P.2d 931, 938 (1967); State by Kobayashi v. Heirs of Kapahi, 48 Haw. 101, 108, 395 P.2d 932, 937 (1964). Further, in Young v. Price, 50 Haw. 430, 439, 442 P.2d 67, 73 (1968) this court stated that [i]t is generally considered error to refuse to give a requested instruction on a given point which is accurate and applicable though the point may have been unequivocally covered by a general instruction.  (Emphasis added.) While these cases can be viewed as generating some pressure on the trial judge to be generous with the instructions given in order to avoid reversal, the instant case approaches the other end of the spectrum where cumulative instructions become prejudicial. The cautionary statement of the dissent in Young v. Price would appear to be applicable here. [T]he fact that more specific instructions are offered does not require the trial court to accept them and reject slightly more general instructions or give cumulative instructions on the same point. Young v. Price, 50 Haw. 430, 450, 442 P.2d 67, 79 (1968) (Levinson and Marumoto, JJ., dissenting) (emphasis added). We do not want a trial judge to feel whipsawed by the obligation to give sufficient instructions and the opposing requirement not to give cumulative instructions. There is surely plenty of room between instructions which are insufficient and instructions which are cumulative for the trial judge to perform comfortably his function of adequately informing the jury of the relevant law. If any policy is to be preferred, it is that allowing adequate and thorough instructions to be given. Only in the rarest of cases will cumulative instructions be the basis for a new trial. Reversed and remanded for a new trial.