Court Opinion

ID: 9590067
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:51:19.105176+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:09:41.073518
License: Public Domain

TAYLOR, Justice
(concurring in part and dissenting in part).
I concur in the opinion by Justice THOMAS, except as to the conclusion reached, and the application of the rules of law therein relied on for affirmance. The record suggests that the insufficiency of the evidence found by the trial judge as the ground for a new trial, is that the verdict is inconsistent in that it finds for both parties on the issue of breach of warranty, and hence is not supported by the evidence. This is the view respondent takes of the ground for new trial. He states it thus in his brief:
“The principal issue therefore in this appeal is this: In an action for damages for breach of warranty of fitness of a pump to pump 200 inches wherein defendants counterclaim for the full unpaid balance of the purchase price, together with cost of repairs of the pump, and where the verdict of the jury is self-contradictory, inconsistent and repugnant by allowing the plaintiff damages for breach of warranty and at the same time awarding the defendants ■ the full remaining unpaid balance of the purchase price, is an order of the court granting a new trial on the grounds of insufficiency of the evidence to justify the verdict or that it is against law an abuse of judicial discretion?”
As shown in Justice THOMAS’ opinion, the verdict was not inconsistent. On the contrary, it was entirely consistent with the case made by the pleadings and proof. And, being consistent with the pleadings and proof, the verdict was not “againsl *549law.” Thus, the grounds which respondent urged to support the court’s order vacating the verdict are not sustained by the record.
We recognize, as well stated by Justice THOMAS, that the trial judge is vested with a broad discretion in the granting of a new trial. For that reason, this court will not determine the issue upon purely technical grounds. The grounds asserted having failed, we examine the record to determine whether or not the jury’s verdict, freed from the alleged inconsistency, is otherwise supported by the evidence. In so doing, we find in addition to that part of the evidence reviewed in the opinion by Justice THOMAS, as to damage to the crops, there are other facts which support the verdict. When the pump was first turned on so much water was delivered that respondent’s ditches were not adequate to handle it; that he shut the pump down in order to make further preparations to handle the water; that while it was thus idle, the sump or basin in the river bed where the pump was located filled with sand, covering the pump to a depth of a foot above the bowl; that this faulty location and failure to protect the pump by an intake pipe, as requested by the appellant, were matters determined by and chargeable to the respondent; that when the pump was turned on again the impeller blades were so damaged by rotating in sand that a new impeller became necessary. It is evident the jury found this damage to be the fault of respondent since they in their verdict charged him with the cost thereof. These facts, together with the evidence as to the character and productivity of the land are ample to support the jury in allowing a lesser sum for crop damage than respondent claims he should have had. So, even though a larger verdict would have been sustainable, if the jury had taken the view of the evidence which respondent contends they should have taken, they were not required so to do. The amount of the damage is always for the jury to determine. Unless the amount fixed by the jury is so excessive, or so inadequate, that it appears to have been influenced by passion or prejudice, or the verdict appears to have resulted from errors in law, it should not be set aside.
“It is generally held, on the other hand, that it is improper or unnecessary to set aside a verdict that is not clearly or decidedly against the evidence — or a verdict that is not clearly or decidedly against the weight of evidence, where there is some evidence or sufficient evidence to support the verdict. Moreover, it is usually held that a new trial should not be granted because the verdict appears to be against the mere preponderance of the evidence, even though there is ample evidence to sustain a verdict for the other party, and this rule has been held applicable when there is evidence on both sides or some evidence to support the verdict * * *66 C.J.S., New Trial, § 70, pages 213-216.
*550Nelson v. Inland Motor Freight Co., 60 Idaho 443, 92 P.2d 790; Owen v. Taylor, 62 Idaho 408, 114 P.2d 258; Gardner v. Hobbs, 69 Idaho 288, 206 P.2d 539, 14 A.L. R.2d 478; Garrett v. Taylor, 69 Idaho 487, 210 P.2d 386; Checketts v. Bowman, 70 Idaho 463, 220 P.2d 682.
In other words, where the jury’s verdict is based upon substantial and competent evidence, uninfluenced by passion or prejudice, and it accords with law, it is binding on the courts, barring, of course, other grounds for a new trial with which we are not here concerned.
“In the trial of civil cases, it is the province of the jury to consider the whole volume of testimony, estimate and weigh its value, accept, reject, reconcile, and adjust its conflicting parts, and be controlled in the result by that part of the testimony which it finds to be of greater weight. The jury is the exclusive judge of the evidence, and must in reason be the exclusive judge as to what constitutes the preponderance of the evidence. Accordingly, where the jury have reached a conclusion after having given consideration to evidence which is sufficient to support a verdict, the decision should not be disturbed by the court.” 39 Am. Jur., New Trial, § 133, p. 143. Reinhold v. Spencer, 53 Idaho 688, 26 P.2d 796; In re Estate of Randall, 60 Idaho 419, 93 P.2d 1.
There is nothing in this record to indicate that the action of the trial judge in setting the verdict aside was the result of any conviction on his part that there had been a miscarriage of justice, arising out of anything occurring at the trial which would not be apparent to a reviewing court. On the contrary, the record indicates that his action was not based upon such a theory.
The order granting the new trial should be reversed.
PORTER, C. J., concurs.