Court Opinion

ID: 9557699
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 16:55:27.910908+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:06:15.046967
License: Public Domain

Supplemental Opinion on Motion for Rehearing MOISE, Justice. By motion for rehearing the defendant argues that his Point V in his brief in chief should have been discussed by the court and not passed over as not being necessary to a decision. Defendant argues that whereas the errors complained of in the instructions and determined in our holding on Point III could be resolved by a trial of the issue of damages only, a different result must follow where because of passion or prejudice an excessive verdict is rendered, and that under the law in this state such a defect cannot be cured by remittitur and requires a retrial of all the issues. In support of his position he cites Nelson v. Hill, 30 N.M. 288, 232 P. 526, and Montgomery v. Vigil, 65 N.M. 107, 332 P.2d 1023. We do not think that these cases support defendant’s position. Nelson v. Hill, supra [30 N.M. 288, 232 P. 526], is a case in which passion and prejudice were not found to be present but the jury had “simply overestimated the damages” under which circumstances a remittitur was ordered. Montgomery v. Vigil, supra [65 N.M. 107, 332 P.2d 1027], states that the correct rule is as announced in Hall v. Stiles, 57 N.M. 281, 258 P.2d 386, and then goes on to hold that the evidence did not support the verdict rendered and was so excessive as to indicate “passion, prejudice, partiality, sympathy * * * or * * * [that] the jury has mistaken the measure of damages” and determined that a remittitur should have been ordered. It was stated that the ex-cessiveness of the verdict was the only question on appeal, and that the finding of passion, prejudice, etc., did “not in [that] instance vitiate the jury’s finding of negligence.”  In the instant case the trial court found that the verdict of the jury was “so excessive an amount as to 'indicate passion, prejudice and partiality and a mistake on the part of the jury as to measure of damages,” and granted a remittitur. This ruling conforms to the law as laid down in Montgomery v. Vigil, supra. The issues of negligence and liability have been decided by the jury on evidence so overwhelming that a contrary finding in this case would have been most shocking and surprising. There is no reason to believe that a retrial of the issue of negligence would have a different result. As already indicated, we do not believe that reasonable minds could differ on this question. Also, we feel the circumstances of this case to be such that there is no likelihood that the passion and prejudice extended beyond the issue of damages, or in any way permeated deliberation of the jury on the other issues submitted to it for determination so as to render unjust holding the litigants to be foreclosed as to those issues by the jury’s findings.  Accordingly, the situation is not unlike that present in Montgomery v. Vigil, supra, where the question of negligence was not an issue on appeal. No purpose would be served by a retrial of that issue and under such circumstances the same need not be retried. Downer v. Southern Union Gas Co., 53 N.M. 354, 208 P.2d 815. We do not know of any case in New Mexico where a new trial has been granted on the issue of damages only. However, we are impressed that the correct rule and the one followed by the vast majority of jurisdictions is to the effect that where the issue of damages is separable and distinct from the issues of negligence and proximate cause, upon reversal because of errors that crept into the determination of the amount of damages while no error was found present in the verdict as to the other issues, it is proper to limit the new trial to the issue in which the error was present. See annotations in 98 A.L.R. 941, and 29 A.L.R.2d 1199, covering inadequate verdicts. We perceive no basic difference where the verdict is excessive. Compare Stith v. St. Louis Public Service Co., 363 Mo. 442, 251 S.W.2d 693, 34 A.L.R.2d 972, where new trial was granted on issue of liability alone without retrial of issue of damages. In the case of Jackson v. Southwestern Public Service Co., 66 N.M. 458, 349 P.2d 1029, 1042 the court found passion, prejudice, etc., but went on to say that “probably the jury was mistaken as to the measure of damages” and concluded that the error could be rectified by a remittitur. If the finding of liability was permitted to stand in that case where negligence and contributory negligence were issues on appeal, we do not comprehend why a different rule should apply where rather than fix the amount ourselves, we remand the case so the jury can again consider the damage question. In both Montgomery v. Vigil, supra, and Jackson v. Southwestern Public Service Co., supra, it is clear that this court did not interpret Hall v. Stiles, supra, as requiring a reversal and new trial on all issues in every case where passion, prejudice, etc., were found to have tainted the verdict, as witness the affirmances in both cases upon condition that remittiturs be filed. If the finding of liability could be permitted to stand upon granting a remittitur, we discern no difference in permitting it to stand upon granting a new trial on the issue of damages under the facts of this case. Defendant also complains that in our opinion we were in error in stating that counsel for appellant did not mention “prejudice” in objecting to the argument of counsel discussed under Point IV. An ex-animation of the record discloses that we were correct in our statement. True, counsel did state in his motion for a mistrial made after the jury had retired and while they were deliberating on their verdict that the statements complained of were “greatly prejudicial,” but it does not appear that any such statement was included in the original objections. We are satisfied with the disposition made by us of defendant’s Point IV, and would merely add that the failure of counsel to claim prejudice as a basis for his objection was in no sense considered as determinative of the issue. Finding no merit in defendant’s motion for rehearing, the same is overruled and the cause is reversed and remanded on the question of damages only. It is so ordered. CARMODY and NOBLE, JJ., concur. COMPTON, C. J., and CHAVEZ, J., not participating.