Opinion ID: 1294532
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Motion for Judgment.

Text: Although the Hawaii Rules of Civil Procedure do not provide for a motion for judgment for the defendant denominated as such at the end of the plaintiff's case, it is the same in substance as a motion for dismissal authorized by H.R.C.P., Rule 41 (b). The rule provides that such a motion may be granted only if the plaintiff has shown no right to relief under the facts and law at the close of his case-in-chief. The defendant's contention is that because the plaintiff failed to prove he had performed or was ready and willing to perform consultation services, the court erred in not granting its motion. The defendant has pressed this contention despite the fact that the plaintiff's proof (the July 19 letter) of his being ready and willing to render advice was later admitted into evidence during the presentation of the defendant's case, over the defendant's objection. We hold that when a defendant unsuccessfully moves for dismissal under Rule 41 (b), and thereafter elects to continue with the trial, he thereby waives the right on appeal from the final judgment to specify as error the denial of his motion. The only method by which the validity of the adverse ruling on the motion may be considered on appeal is for the defendant to stand on his motion and permit a final judgment for the plaintiff to be entered on that state of the record. If a defect in the plaintiff's proof prior to the denial of the motion to dismiss is later cured by either party, any error in the denial of the motion is harmless error. Kaili v. Inter-Island Steam Navigation Co., 25 Haw. 777, 781 (1921), Ciacci v. Woolley, 33 Haw. 247, 257 (1934) (both cases applying this rule to motions for nonsuit). If we were to hold otherwise, by isolating the motion to dismiss and the record supporting it from the remainder of the record, we would be ignoring the merits of the controversy. The guiding light of this court is the promotion of justice rather than adherence to technicalities which, because of the omissions of counsel, cast an unfavorable light on an otherwise meritorious case. In this case, the record as a whole contains sufficient evidence to show that the plaintiff has a right to relief. One of the basic elements in proving a breach of a contract of this nature is a showing by the plaintiff either that he has performed the contract or that during the term of the contract he was ready, willing and able to perform. United States v. Penn Foundry & Mfg. Co., 337 U.S. 198, 210 (1949); National Movers Co. v. United States, 386 F.2d 999, 1002 (Ct.Cl. 1967); Clark Mutual Life Insurance v. Lewis, 217 N.E.2d 853, 857 (Ind. 1966). This proof was embodied in the July 19 letter. Thus, if the admission of that letter into evidence was proper when introduced, the last necessary element of the plaintiff's case was thereby injected into the record.