Court Opinion

ID: 9789585
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 01:38:42.160372+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:37:23.362815
License: Public Domain

HOWELL, J.,
dissenting in part.
I agree with the majority opinion that the trial court should not have instructed the jury that "the only evidence in this case is that the defendant did strike the plaintiff,” because that was a question of fact for the jury to decide. However, no exception was taken by the defendant. It is axiomatic that without an exception the giving of the instruction would not constitute reversible error.
*516Experience teaches that lawyers frequently contend for positions which they do not continue to pursue when the court rules against them. If a lawyer expects to be relieved of his obligation to take an exception to instructions given, it is usual at the time of any previous discussion of the point of law involved to ask the court whether an exception will be necessary at the time of instructions in view of the lawyer’s already stated position on the subject. If we allow an automatic exception to every instruction upon a point of law to which counsel has taken a contrary position during trial, only chaos will result. In addition, this court has previously enforced this rule as one of efficient judicial administration without respect to whether opposing counsel has raised the issue on appeal of failure to except to the instruction.
If there had been a proper exception, then I would concur in the result reached by the majority.
Holman, J., joins in this dissent.