Court Opinion

ID: 9720597
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 08:37:08.627932+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:19.818682
License: Public Domain

TEIGEN, Judge
(dissenting).
I dissent.
I believe that the certified questions should be answered by this court. The defendants have admitted legal liability by entering into a stipulation under the terms of which they admit the validity of the option agreement and agree to convey the property in accordance with all the requirements of the option with the single exception as to time. The majority, in outlining the facts and procedures in the trial court, correctly noted that:
“Just prior to the trial, the parties stipulated in open court that the Maurers would convey title to the land to the Bu-manns and that the only issue to be determined was what money damages, if any, should be awarded to the Bumanns.”
However, the conclusion of the majority, as stated in the latter part of their opinion, is erroneous. They conclude that if this court should affirm the trial court’s decision as to the measure of damages, “ * * * neither the issue of liability nor the amount of damages would be resolved by the answers * * * ” It is my opinion that, as a result of the stipulation, the only issue remaining for trial is that of the amount of damages. It is important for the trial court to determine the law as to the measure of damages before trial on an issue involving damages, in order that it may rule properly on the admissibility of proffered evidence. There were two legal theories advanced on this question, one by each party. If the trial court follows the wrong law as to the measure of damages, the judgment will be in error and will be subject to reversal on appeal. If the trial court follows the correct law as to the measure of damages, the only issue, if there is an appeal, will be the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain the verdict. Thus the interpretation and construction of the law to be applied on this question is vital and of great moment in the cause remaining for trial. It is clear that the result is dependent wholly or principally on the answers to the questions certified.
The stipulation of the parties also provides that if Section 32-03-13, N.D.C.C., is applicable as a measure of damages, the case shall be dismissed with prejudice. Thus it is elementary that the result of the litigation is dependent “wholly” upon the answers to the questions propounded. Certainly the determination of the questions submitted is of “great moment to the cause” remaining for trial.
Chapter 32-24, N.D.C.C., providing for certification of questions of law to the supreme court, is equally applicable in civil or criminal cases in any district court or county court with increased jurisdiction in this State. We have answered certified questions in a number of cases in the past where an issue of fact remained for trial following a decision by this court settling issues of law which were certified to us. In State v. Walla, 57 N.D. 726, 224 N.W. 211, this court answered certified questions of law in a criminal case charging forgery where a motion had been made to set the indictment aside on legal grounds. The trial court overruled the motion and the question of law involved in the motion was certified to this court. This court affirmed the decision overruling the motion by answering the certified questions and remanded the case for further proceedings.
In State v. Bonzer, 68 N.D. 311, 279 N. W. 769, a certified question of law was answered in an action brought to recover from the state bonding fund, where, during trial, objection had been made at the close *745of the plaintiff’s case and was overruled by the trial court. The question involved in the motion was certified to this court for determination. The certified question of law in that case was answered by this court in the affirmative, holding that the suit could be maintained. Thus the trial court was permitted to continue with the trial of the action.
In State v. Robinson, 71 N.D. 463, 2 N. W.2d 183, 140 A.L.R. 332, a criminal case charging a public officer with fraud, a bill of particulars was demanded and furnished, following which, on the basis of the criminal information and the bill of particulars, several questions of law were certified to this court for answer and, although the question of guilt or innocence remained for trial to a jury, the court proceeded to answer the questions.
In City of Grand Forks v. Grand Forks County, 139 N.W.2d 242 (N.D.1965), eight questions of law were certified to this court for answer in an action to recover certain tax moneys which had been collected by the county and to which the city maintained it was entitled. This court answered five of the questions and refused to answer three of them on the ground that certain facts necessary to a determination of the three questions had not been established and, therefore, the answers to the three questions would be merely advisory. The case was remanded for further proceedings in the district court.
In Sylling v. Agsco Distributors, Inc., 171 N.W.2d 825 (N.D.1969), we decided certified questions of law in a suit to recover damages to crops where the defendant stipulated that it would not contest the question of liability in the event it should be determined that the action was not barred by the statute of limitations and that, therefore, the law applicable on the question of limitation would determine the issue of liability, leaving only the question of damages for trial.
Thus, in a number of cases, this court has answered certified questions of law which wholly or principally settled vital questions of law, which arose before or during trial and were followed by a trial or the completion of a trial after such questions were determined by this court. The evidence admissible on the question of the amount of damages is dependent upon the law as to the measure of damages and, therefore, the issue of damages remaining for trial is wholly dependent on the answers to the questions certified. I see no reason why we should not answer the questions of law certified in this case as the answers will establish the law upon which the issue of damages can properly be tried.