Opinion ID: 30583
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Sole Purpose Instruction and Interrogatory.

Text: 33 As an alternative to the predicate questions noted above, BSI requested a broad form jury question in accordance with Texas Pattern Jury Charges on breach of contract: Did NDTC fail to comply with the payment obligation under the Galaxy VII Agreement [Fee Agreement]? BSI complains that this interrogatory should have been used in lieu of the sole purpose interrogatory and that the accompanying jury charge was flawed as well. The jury interrogatory given was whether NDTC terminated the Satellite Lease for the sole reason of avoiding its obligation under the [Fee] Agreement. 11 34 In a diversity case, the substance of jury charges is governed by state law, but the form or manner of giving the instruction is controlled by federal law. Turlington v. United States Fidelity & Guar., 795 F.2d 434, 439, 441 (5th Cir. 1986). The charge must accurately describe the state law, but the court has wide discretion in formulating the charge. Id. at 441; Barton's Disposal, 886 F.2d at 1434 (recognizing that trial court is afforded great latitude in framing jury instructions and interrogatories). The Erie doctrine does not compel the use of pattern state instructions. Turlington, 795 F.2d at 441 n. 3. Having rejected BSI's contentions that disputed facts were taken from the jury, we face only the question whether the district court abused its discretion in the selected charges and interrogatory. 35 The district court considered the proposed interrogatory from the Texas Pattern Charge to be too broad. The question whether NDTC had some reason to terminate the Satellite Lease other than escaping the fee obligation was the narrow issue that remained disputed. No other issue was implicated that did not go to the jury. We conclude that a) when read as a whole and in conjunction with the general charge, the interrogatories adequately presented the contested issues to the jury; b) the submission of the issues to the jury was fair; and c) the ultimate questions of fact were clearly submitted to the jury. See Dreiling v. General Electric Co., 511 F.2d 768, 774 (5th Cir.1975) (reciting these three factors for inquiry when reviewing special interrogatories). Accordingly, we find no abuse of discretion in the court's selected interrogatory and charges. See Barton's Disposal, 886 F.2d at 1435 (equating Dreiling factors with test for abuse of discretion).