Opinion ID: 555114
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Special Verdicts and Jury Instructions

Text: 64 Nor-West next challenges the district court's special verdicts and jury instructions, on the grounds that (1) the district court erroneously failed to instruct the jury what Nor-West had to do to be financially capable of competing with Continental, (2) Special Verdicts Nos. 11-15 were erroneous and prejudicial, (3) the district court erred by asking the jury about the validity of the City's reasons for denial of a second franchise without asking about the validity of the City's motives, (4) Nor-West's financial strength is irrelevant to the merits of its claim, (5) the district court erroneously submitted the substantive issue of first amendment protection to the jury, and (6) the issue of general damages should have been submitted to the jury. Nor-West's first argument is that: 65 [s]tanding, for purposes of damages, required Nor-West to convince the jury that it had the ability and intent to build a competitive cable system. That turned, in large part, on the system it could be required to build. The court, however, refused to make any rulings as to which, if any, of City's demands could be imposed on Nor-West, which was highly prejudicial. 66 Brief for Appellant at 42. The district court rejected this argument, because there were irreconcilable differences of opinion between counsel for [Nor-West and the City] as to what are permissible requirements. Nor-West II, slip op. at 5. Furthermore, the district court's standing instructions were structured so that the jury first had to determine what kind of system [Nor-West] sought to build (not what was legally permissible to build), whether it had the financial [ability to operate a cable system] ... and whether it had the necessary intent. Id. at 6. 67 As the district court noted, Special Verdicts Nos. 1-3 and Nos. 5-7 asked the jury what system Nor-West requested permission to build ... in competition with Continental, Nor-West I, slip op. at 1-2 (emphasis added). Thus, the question of what system the City would have required Nor-West to build is beside the point, and Nor-West lacks standing even if the district court should have instructed the jury to determine what system the City should have required Nor-West to build. 68 The other arguments raised by Nor-West all relate to issues other than standing. For instance, the validity of Special Verdicts Nos. 11-15 (which address the possible disruption resulting from the installation of a second cable system) is irrelevant to the issue of standing, because the district court's standing decision was based on the jury's answers to Special Verdicts Nos. 1-3 and 5-7. Similarly, the validity of the City's substantive defenses or of any instructions related to the merits of Nor-West's claim, as well as Nor-West's eligibility for recovery of general damages, relate to the merits of Nor-West's first amendment claim and not to the issue of standing. 69 Accordingly, we hold that the district court did not abuse its discretion in giving the special verdicts and instructions to the jury.