Opinion ID: 2508472
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Jury instructions on superseding cause

Text: Robinett raises a number of other issues on appeal, most of which need not be addressed since this matter is being remanded for a new trial. Where an appellate court reverses or vacates a judgment upon an issue properly raised, and remands for further proceedings, it may give guidance for other issues on remand. Smith v. Idaho Com'n on Redistricting, 136 Idaho 542, 545, 38 P.3d 121, 124 (2001) (citation omitted). Robinett asserts the district judge erred in refusing several of his requested jury instructions including one concerning superseding cause. He argues these instructions were necessary to allow the jury to properly consider his evidence that Lawrence caused the accident by attacking Robinett while Robinett was driving. Based on the record, we conclude the jury was properly instructed and this is not a case involving a superseding cause. Robinett sought to show that he committed no act that could have had a causal relationship to the car accident and that the sole cause of the accident was Lawrence's attack. Robinett's theory required the jury to choose one of two alternative causes; not to assess whether a second action occurred subsequent to the first which intervened or superseded to actually result in the accident. The jury was appropriately called upon to decide which of the two causes it believed actually caused the accident. Therefore, the district court did not err by refusing Robinett's proposed jury instructions on superseding cause.