Opinion ID: 2461938
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Judgment as a matter of lawcontractual indemnity

Text: This court reviews a district court's order granting judgment as a matter of law de novo. Winchell v. Schiff, 124 Nev. 938, 947, 193 P.3d 946, 952 (2008). NRCP 50(a)(1) states that a district court may grant judgment as a matter of law if a party has failed to prove a sufficient issue for the jury. However, `[i]f there is conflicting evidence on a material issue, or if reasonable persons could draw different inferences from the facts, the question is one of fact for the jury and not one of law for the court.' Banks v. Sunrise Hospital, 120 Nev. 822, 839, 102 P.3d 52, 64 (2004) (alteration in original) (quoting Broussard v. Hill, 100 Nev. 325, 327, 682 P.2d 1376, 1377 (1984)). Toward the end of the trial, Plaster orally moved for judgment as a matter of law against Reyburn on Plaster's contractual indemnity cause of action. After determining that the indemnity clause required Reyburn to indemnify Plaster once Plaster proved that the damages were not the result of Plaster's sole negligence, the district court granted the directed verdict. In reaching its conclusion, the district court considered the testimony elicited from Stuart on cross-examination and determined that it constituted a judicial admission and proved that Reyburn was, at least, partially negligent for the damages and defects alleged by the homeowners. However, we determine that the district court erred when it construed Stuart's testimony as an admission of liability.