Court Opinion

ID: 9736741
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 19:04:59.333965+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:27:08.562269
License: Public Domain

Baldwin, J.
(dissenting). In ruling upon a motion *561to set aside a verdict the trial court is called upon to exercise a legal discretion necessary to and inherent in the long-recognized function of a judge presiding at a jury trial. Howe v. Raymond, 74 Conn. 68, 71, 49 A. 854; Cables v. Bristol Water Co., 86 Conn. 223, 225, 84 A. 928. On an appeal from that ruling to this court, “We are reviewing the action of the trial court ... to determine whether its discretion was abused rather than the verdict itself.” Joanis v. Engstrom, 135 Conn. 248, 251, 63 A. 2d 151; Conn. App. Proc. § 114. The trial court set aside the verdicts in the present cases because “the jury must have given determining effect to evidence which [was] irreconcilable with the admitted and indubitably established physical facts.” The trial court observed the witnesses and heard the testimony, including the explanations of the map and photographs presented as exhibits. It therefore had a better opportunity of evaluating all the evidence than is accorded to us by the record. Masi v. General Ice Cream Corporation, 120 Conn. 259, 262, 180 A. 455. In considering, upon the record, whether there was an abuse of discretion, we should give great weight to the trial court’s opinion and make every presumption in favor of its correctness. Roma v. Thames River Specialties Co., 90 Conn. 18, 20, 96 A. 169; Dudas v. Ward Baking Co., 104 Conn. 516, 518, 133 A. 591; Joanis v. Engstrom, supra, 253. I think that the court did not abuse its discretion and that there was no error.