Court Opinion

ID: 9593854
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 00:25:24.599002+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:03:04.221049
License: Public Domain

BAKES, Justice,
concurring specially:
The Court’s opinion, which I join, correctly points out that at the summary judgment stage, “The motion should be denied if conflicting inferences could have been drawn from the facts alleged in the affidavits, and if reasonable people might have reached different conclusions as to whether the city was willful and wanton.” That determination requires an evaluation of the evidence in the record, based upon the law applicable to the city’s conduct, i.e., the city’s alleged willful and wanton misconduct. As expressed in IDJI No. 225, willful and wanton misconduct is defined as:
“Willful and wanton misconduct is present if the defendant intentionally does or fails to do an act, knowing or having a reason to know facts which would lead a reasonable man to realize that his conduct not only creates unreasonable risk of harm to another, but involves a high degree of probability that such harm would result.” IDJI 225 (1985).
The plaintiff’s burden of proof in this case, i.e., proof that the city’s actions constituted “willful and wanton misconduct,” IDJI 225, is greater than proving mere ordinary negligence and, accordingly, the factual record must be evaluated based on that higher standard. E.g., Russ Ballard v. Lava Hot Springs Resort, Inc., 97 Idaho 572, 548 P.2d 72 (1976) (evidence held insufficient where applicable law required proof to be clear and convincing); State of Idaho ex rel. Evans v. Barnett, 114 Idaho 355, 757 P.2d 218 (Ct.App.1988) (evidence held insufficient in a surveying case where applicable law required proof beyond a reasonable doubt). On the record in the present case, it is a very close call as to whether or not the plaintiff’s affidavits alleged sufficient misconduct on the part of *274the city to raise a triable issue of fact of whether or not the city’s conduct was “willful and wanton” within the meaning of the law as outlined in the Court’s opinion today. The Court’s opinion, ante at 271-272, 766 P.2d at 741-742, describes the multiple acts of misconduct which arguably constitute such willful and wanton misconduct, and concludes that “reasonable minds might reach different conclusions as to whether the city was guilty of wilful and wanton conduct....” On this summary judgment record, I agree with that conclusion.
That is not to say, however, that depending upon how the witnesses ultimately testify at trial, the trial court might not conclude, upon a motion for a directed verdict or a motion j.n.o.v., that the evidence presented at trial was not sufficient to justify the factual conclusion that the city’s conduct was “willful and wanton.” Summary judgment is only one of the stages of a lawsuit in which a trial court is required to evaluate the evidence in a case, based upon the law applicable to that case, to determine whether or not a claim (or a defense) has been supported by sufficient evidence to justify the submission of that claim to a trier of fact. Chronologically, the motion for summary judgment is the first occasion the trial court has to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to support such a claim or a defense. Later, when the plaintiff has completed his case in chief at trial, the trial court may again be called upon to evaluate the sufficiency of the evidence when ruling upon a motion for directed verdict. I.R.C.P. 50(a). Again, after all of the evidence is in, and a motion for directed verdict is made, the trial court must again evaluate the sufficiency of the evidence, based upon the law applicable to the case, to determine if there is sufficient evidence to support the claim. I.R.C.P. 50(a). Then, after the jury has rendered its verdict, the trial court may again be called upon to evaluate the sufficiency of the evidence, based upon the law applicable to the case, in ruling upon a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict. I.R.C.P. 50(b). See Harvey v. F-B Truck Line, Inc., 115 Idaho 411, 767 P.2d 254 (1988). Finally, on appeal, appellate courts may again be called upon to review the evidence to determine whether there was sufficient evidence, based upon the law applicable to that case, to support the decision of the finder of fact. Harvey v. F-B Truck Line, Inc., supra; Russ Ballard v. Lava Hot Springs Resort, Inc., 97 Idaho 572, 548 P.2d 72 (1976) (evidence held insufficient where applicable law required proof to be clear and convincing); State of Idaho ex rel. Evans v. Barnett, 114 Idaho 355, 757 P.2d 218 (Ct.App.1988) (evidence held insufficient in a surveying case where applicable law required proof beyond a reasonable doubt).
The motion for summary judgment, which is the first stage in the lawsuit at which the trial court must evaluate the evidence, often comes at a very early stage in the proceedings, usually based primarily upon affidavits, rather than testimony taken at trial which is subject to cross examination and impeachment. Our cases have recognized that in summary judgment proceedings based upon affidavits, the eviden-tiary basis for the claim (or defense) may not have been developed as thoroughly as it would have been if there were extensive depositions, or a trial with examination and cross examination of the witnesses. Accordingly, we have generally been cautious in granting summary judgment, particularly where the evidentiary record is based solely on affidavits. If, after giving the non-moving party the benefit of all conflicting inferences, a reasonable doubt exists as to whether or not the plaintiff’s evidence supports his claim, summary judgment should be denied.
I agree with the Court’s opinion that the motion should not have been granted in this case on the status of this record.