Court Opinion

ID: 9718642
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 07:28:44.542722+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:01.070563
License: Public Domain

BAILEY, Judge
dissenting,
I respectfully dissent. I agree that Olsen was not entitled to a jury trial of right under Ind. Trial Rule 38(A) with respect to her application for the equitable remedy of rescission. However, I do not believe that the extreme remedial action prescribed by the majority, reversal of the judgment and remand for a bench trial, is warranted under the present circumstances.
In any case upon which there is no right to trial by jury as of right, the court may nevertheless submit any or all of such issues to a jury for trial. Ind. Trial Rule 39(B). In such cases the verdict shall be advisory unless both parties consent that the verdict shall have the same effect as if a trial by jury had been a matter of right. Id. The decision of whether to utilize an advisory jury is left to the trial court’s discretion, which will be reversed only for a manifest abuse thereof. McClamroch v. McClamroch, 476 N.E.2d 514, 520 (Ind.Ct.App.1985).
In Central National Bank of Greencastle v. Shoup, 501 N.E.2d 1090, 1098 (Ind.Ct.App. 1986), we upheld the trial court’s entry of judgment consistent with the verdict of an advisory jury where the record demonstrated that the trial court was aware of the respective roles of the advisory jury and the court and its findings revealed that it did not treat the jury verdict as one from a non-advisory jury. We noted that the mere fact that the trial court’s judgment was consistent with the advisory jury’s verdict did not make that judgment suspect. Id. In fact, Ind. Trial Rule 39(D) provides that the trial court is not required to submit findings of fact to the extent that its decision follows the verdict of an advisory jury. Id.
In the present case, unlike Central National Bank, it would appear that the trial court improperly utilized the jury as non-advisory and entered judgment on the verdict. Nevertheless, a new trial is not necessary or warranted here. But see, Farmers Bank and Trust Co. v. Ross, 401 N.E.2d 74, 76 (Ind.Ct.App.1980) (holding that complaining party need not show prejudice to obtain reversal where the trial court did not treat the jury as advisory). In the interest of judicial economy, I would remand with instructions that the trial court treat the jury verdict as merely advisory and enter findings and judgment pursuant to Ind. Trial Rules 52(A) & 58.