Opinion ID: 1817293
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: the trial court erred in denying appellants' motion for a new trial.

Text: The general rule in Mississippi is that the trial court has the power and duty to set aside a verdict and order a new trial whenever, in its sound judgment, such action is required. See Rule 59(a)(1), Miss.R. Civ.P. It is the province of the jury to determine the weight and worth of testimony and credibility of the witness at trial. Burnham v. Tabb, 508 So.2d 1072, 1077 (Miss. 1987), and this Court will assume that the jury at trial drew every permissible inference from all the evidence. Id. Accord, Phillips v. Dow Chemical Co., 151 So.2d 199, 201 (Miss. 1963). More specifically, in response to the Phillips appellants' contention that the verdict therein was contrary to the overwhelming weight of the evidence and was the result of bias, passion and prejudice, the Phillips Court noted: In resolving this question we are mindful of our duty to set aside a verdict whenever we can confidently say that the jury did not respond to reason and therefore acted from motives of bias, passion and prejudice. In so doing, the rule is that we must view the evidence in the light most favorable to the party in whose favor the jury decided. Moreover, we are not permitted to consider isolated parts of the evidence apart from the whole, and we must assume that the jury drew every permissible inference in favor of the successful party. Id. In the case at bar, we find the trial judge acted correctly and within his discretion to deny appellants' motion for a new trial, primarily because the record contained sufficient evidence supporting the judgment awarded plaintiff.