Court Opinion

ID: 9735358
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 18:10:36.466507+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:26:57.463010
License: Public Domain

ELDRIDGE, Judge,
dissenting:
In the context of this case, I am not persuaded that the trial judge’s failure to inform the jury of the Commission’s decision prejudiced Kelly Catering, Inc. The trial judge instructed the jury that the claimant is presumed to be an independent contractor, that she is not presumed to be an employee, and that the claimant has the burden of proving that she is an employee. Under the circumstances here, I do not believe that the failure to tell the jury of the source of the presumption was so prejudicial that a new trial is warranted.
I agree with the majority that, under some of the “other scenarios” set forth in the majority opinion, 334 Md. at 488, 639 A.2d at 705, failure to tell the jury about the basis for the presumption might constitute prejudicial error. Nevertheless I am aware of no authority holding that, in every case and in every situation where the law recognizes a presumption, it is prejudicial error for a trial judge not to inform the jury of the basis or reason for the presumption. In the present case, it would be pure speculation to conclude that the jury may have failed to apply the presumption because it was unaware of the basis for it.
I would reverse the judgment of the Court of Special Appeals and direct that the judgment of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County be affirmed.