Opinion ID: 1980089
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: weight and credibility

Text: You are the judges of all questions of fact in this case. You alone must weigh the evidence under these instructions and determine the credibility of those who have testified. As to those matters the Court expresses no opinion. In performing this task you may consider the facts and circumstances in the case which tend to strengthen, weaken or contradict one's testimony. You may consider the age, intelligence, and experience of the witness, the strength or weakness of his recollection, how he came to know the facts to which he testified, his possible interest in the outcome of the trial, any bias or prejudice he may have, his manner and appearance, whether he was frank or evasive while testifying and whether his testimony is reasonable or unreasonable. If you find a conflict in the evidence, you should reconcile it, if you can, because each witness is presumed to have told the truth. If you cannot do so, you have the right to determine whom of the witnesses you will believe, in whole or in part. You should give all credible testimony its just and fair weight. You should consider the evidence in this case in light of your common sense and your ordinary experience and observation of human affairs. As discussed above, jury instructions must be considered as a whole. An alleged error must be considered in context and not on the basis of an isolated phrase. Plaintiffs claim that the added material prevented the jury from exercising its unfettered right to believe or disbelieve the testimony of the witnesses. We disagree. Under North Dakota law, witnesses are presumed to be telling the truth. Cunningham v. Great Northern Ry. Co., 73 N.D. 315, 14 N.W.2d 753 (1944). See also Hendrickson v. Syverson, 82 N.W.2d 827 (N.D.1957). But the instruction at issue repeatedly emphasizes the great discretion a jury has in evaluating the evidence. The instruction informs the jurors that they alone are the judges of all questions of fact, that they alone must determine the credibility of the witnesses, and that they should give all credible testimony its just and fair weight. The instruction also lists the factors that may be employed in their evaluation of the witnesses. In addition to these points, the instruction states that the jurors have the right to determine whom of the witnesses they will believe, in whole or in part. In this context, the presumption that a witness has told the truth is easily rebuttable; indeed, the other language places such broad discretion upon the jury that the presumption is dissipated almost out of existence. We therefore conclude that the instruction on weight and credibility was not in error. We also note that, as a procedural matter, plaintiffs' objection to the instruction was waived due to failure to object as well as failure to raise the issue in their motion for a new trial. See discussion at pages 727-728.