Court Opinion

ID: 9720325
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 08:26:20.863639+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:16.071473
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE SLATER, dissenting: The trial court found that no reasonable person could have relied on the seller’s statements that the car was "mechanically sound” and had "no problems” given the age, mileage and price of the car. The majority disagrees, finding that a car that is in "otherwise poor condition” but mechanically sound may reasonably be worth $800. The majority notes that such factors as the condition of the body, tires, interior and paint may affect a car’s value. The problem with such an analysis is that the bystander’s report contains no information about anything but the car’s mechanical condition. Although reasonableness is an objective standard, it must be based on the facts as they exist at trial, not on speculation. The trial court, as the finder of fact, based its decision on the evidence presented. As the majority points out, for that judgment to be against the manifest weight of the evidence, the opposite conclusion must be clearly evident. The record in this case does not support such a determination. I would affirm the trial court.