Court Opinion

ID: 9474873
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 05:11:27.541994+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:44:23.376933
License: Public Domain

GEE, Circuit Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting in part:
I concur fully in most of the Court’s opinion, with especial enthusiasm for my Brothers’ refusal to import landslide “degrees of care” aboard ship. I would, however, affirm as to Southern Gulf as well and must therefore differ with the Court’s holdings in this respect alone.
Toward the close of its opinion, the trial court observed:
The court finds that the plaintiff failed to satisfy his burden of proving that the shipowner [Southern Gulf] knew or had reason to know of any unreasonably dangerous condition existing at the time plaintiff left the vessel. There has been no evidence explaining the duration of the presence of the vomit nor any reason that would have compelled the vessel owner to have cleaned the area. In other words, plaintiff has not proved the vessel owner’s actual or constructive knowledge of a hazardous condition.
Accordingly, the court finds that the captain and crew of the M/V GREAT SOUTHERN were not negligent in providing plaintiff a means of egress from the vessel.
Despite its phrasing (“no evidence”) and location (among the conclusions of law), this passage seems to me clearly meant as a fact finding or findings. If it is, we should not set it aside unless it is clearly erroneous. Rule 52, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. I do not think it is, hence I respectfully dissent.