Court Opinion

ID: 9636233
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 14:20:41.450804+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:04:54.838492
License: Public Domain

COTTERAL, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
I eoneur in the opinion of the majority, except with regard to the deposition of Briggs, taken upon notice by the defendant. The objection thereto was, in substance, that the witness, after answering preliminary questions as to his name, residence, and such matters, declined to give further answers, later stated he might or might not answer questions, counsel for defendant then declined to interrogate him, and said that plaintiffs’ counsel might examine him as his own witness, but said counsel declined the offer, and, after examining the witness at length on matters beyond the direct testimony, announced that, if the court should rule it was not cross-examination, he would make the witness his own.
The facts should be accurately noted. While counsel for defendant was examining the witness, the latter produced a letter from said counsel and became much inflamed because counsel had not replied to the answer of the witness and said he did not know whether he would testify and felt entitled to a reply in advance. (The letter of counsel apparently intimated the witness wss drunk in the car when the accident occurred.) Said counsel stated that as the witness had declined to testify, he refused to use him as a witness for the time being, but plaintiffs’ counsel might do that if he 'desired. The witness volunteered a denial that there was a drunken party in the car.
After an adjournment, defendant’s counsel objected to that denial and moved to strike it. Some colloquy followed. The witness agreed to answer questions if written out and submitted. Plaintiffs’ counsel then asked defendant’s counsel to proceed with any questions desired, but the latter declined. Plaintiffs’ counsel questioned the witness, as upon cross-examination, to which defendant’s counsel objected. Counsel for plaintiffs stated in the record that he believed he was right in treating Briggs as defendant’s witness, but, if the court should rule otherwise, he would adopt the testimony as his own. Defendant’s counsel declined to ask any questions and to make Briggs its witness, as he had expressed an unwillingness to testify and refused to state whether he would do so. The witness then stated he would answer any and all questions counsel on either side desired to ask him.
At the trial, the deposition was read as part of plaintiffs’ evidence. Concededly, the testimony extended beyond the scope of cross-*920examination. As such, it was not admissible. But it was introduced by plaintiffs, and tbe objection thereupon became untenable on that ground. It is true plaintiffs’ counsel had formally declined to make Briggs his witness, but this was qualified by an offer to do so, if required by the court. As a matter of law, it was indispensable to the reading of the deposition, and of this defendant was bound to take notice. The defendant knew that might well happen, and could not have been misled. The majority opinion is undoubtedly erroneous in holding that plaintiffs effectually declined to make Briggs their witness. It is -asked, Should the rulings be different because plaintiffs offered the testimony? They certainly should be. When the testimony developed to be adverse, defendant’s counsel evidently preferred to stand on the technical objection that the testimony was not cross-examination. But it lost that character when it was offered by the plaintiffs. The defendant took that risk in its election. There is no force in the contention that plaintiffs obtained an advantage in asking leading questions to the witness. Those matters are not raised on the appeal.
The defendant also relies upon the theory that, as the witness had once, in ill temper, declined to testify, that declination could not be withdrawn. Ample opportunity was finally given counsel to examine the witness, and he refused to avail himself of it. He could not stand on the previous attitude of the witness. By refusing to examine him when eventually permitted to do so, he waived the privilege.
A deposition is only a means of eliciting testimony for use in court. It is admitted either party might read a deposition taken 'by one of them. Hence the plaintiffs were within their rights in reading the testimony. It was only the absence of the privilege of erossexamination that could rejeet the testimony. That privilege was waived.
The majority opinion does not deal with appellant’s motions to remand the ease and grant a new trial, which were submitted upon affidavits and exhibits at the hearing before this court. The motions are not well taken, both because the relief sought is not within the power of this court to grant and the grounds urged are without merit. But a more detailed statement and a discussion of the grounds of the motions would be useless, as the court decided to grant a new trial for a different reason.
In my opinion, the judgments should be. affirmed.