Court Opinion

ID: 9545950
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 17:22:36.740618+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:15:48.397464
License: Public Domain

PETERS, J.
I dissent.
The majority, following the rule of stare decisis, adhere to a court created doctrine first announced by Judge Mansfield in Vaise v. Delaval (K.B. 1785) 1 Term R. 11, 99 Eng.Rep. 944. That rule is that affidavits of jurors may not be used to impeach their verdict. The only reason given by the majority, other than stare decisis, is public policy, “at best a vague and uncertain guide” (Miller & Lux v. Madera Canal etc. Co., 155 Cal. 59, 65 [99 P. 502, 22 L.R.A. N.S. 391]). Stare decisis is, of course, a sound doctrine, but not, necessarily, controlling. Certainly, when the original rule was court made, when the rule itself when first announced overruled a long line of prior cases, when it is not recognized or compelled by statute, when the only reason given for the original rule no longer exists, where there is no sound rule of law or policy to support it, and where the legal scholars in the field are practically unanimous in their belief that the rule is unsound, *16good reason exists for abandoning the rule. (Muskopf v. Corning Hospital Dist., 55 Cal.2d 211, 218 et seq. [11 Cal.Rptr. 89, 359 P.2d 457].)
Dean Wigmore has demonstrated to a certainty that before 1785 the rule was well settled that jurors could, as to overt acts showing misconduct, impeach their own verdict. (8 Wig-more on Evidence (McNaughton rev. 1961) § 2352, p. 696.) The Dean has also pointed out that the only reason given by Judge Mansfield for adopting the new -rule was his belief that under no circumstances should a witness be heard to allege his own turpitude. That doctrine, involving the admissibility of voluntary confessions, has long been overruled in practically all American jurisdictions, including California. (Ibid.)
There is no statutory compulsion for the adoption of the rule. The pertinent statute is Code of Civil Procedure section 657, which sets forth the causes for granting a new trial. Subdivision'1 provides in part that the trial court may grant a new trial for “Irregularity in the proceedings of the court, jury or adverse party, or any order of the court or abuse of discretion by which either party was prevented from having a fair-trial.” Subdivision 2 provides that such new trial may be granted for “Misconduct of the jury; and whenever any one or more of the jurors have been induced to assent to any general or special verdict ... by a resort to the determination of chance, such misconduct may be proved by the affidavit of any one of the jurors.”1 This statute does not prohibit a reappraisal of the rule.
It is also of some importance that practically all of the legal writers in this field advocate an abolishment or limitation of it. (See 8 Wigmore (McNaughton rev. 1961) §§ 2345-2354; Morgan, Basic Problems of Evidence (A.L.I. 1954) pp. 71-77; Morgan and Maguire, Cases and Materials on Evidence (3d ed. 1951) pp. 333-336 (calling the Mansfield rule an “absurdity”); Note (1947) 47 Colum.L.Rev. 1373; Note (1959) 10 Hastings L.J. 319; Leavitt, The Jury at Work *17(1962) 13 Hastings L.J. 415; Note (1925) 11 Iowa L.Bull. 268; Note (1913) 12 Mich.L.Rev. 405; Note (1925) 23 Mich. L.Rev. 550; Note (1927) 6 N.C.L.Rev. 315; Note (1949) 10 Ohio St. L.J. 262; Note (1915) 64 U.Pa.L.Rev. 86; Note (1934) 34 Yale L.J. 516. See also A.L.I. Model Code of Evidence (1942) rule 301, and the Uniform Rules of- Evidence (drafted by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, 1953) rules 41 and 44.2 See also Justice Carter’s dissent in Kollert v. Cundiff, 50 Cal.2d 768, 774 [329 P.2d 897] ; Judge Learned Hand’s opinion in Jorgensen v. York Ice Machinery Corp. (2d Cir. 1947) 160 F.2d 432, 435, cert. denied, 332 U.S. 764 [68 S.Ct. 69, 92 L.Ed. 349] ; the dissenting opinion of Marshall, C.J., in Schwindt v. Graeff, 109 Ohio St. 404, 408 [142 N.E. 736] ; the opinion of Cole, J., in the leading case of Wright v. Illinois & Miss. Tel. Co., 20 Iowa 195.)
Wigmore demonstrates to a certainty that there is no reason in law or logic for continuing the rule (8 Wigmore on Evidence (McNaughton rev. 1961) §§ 2345-2355, pp. 677-717). This analysis need not be repeated here.
Iowa has taken the lead in liberalizing the Mansfield rule (Wright v.. Illinois & Miss. Tel. Co., supra). At least 12 jurisdictions, by judicial decision, have modified the strict Mansfield rule.3 The Iowa rule is well stated in the American Law Institute’s Model Code of Evidence as follows:
“Rule 301.' Testimony of Juror.
“Whenever any act, event or condition known to a member of a petit or grand jury is a subject of lawful inquiry, any witness, including every member of the jury, may testify to any material matter, including any statement or conduct or condition of any member of the jury, whether the matter occurred or existed in the jury room or elsewhere, and whether during the deliberations of the jury, or in reaching or reporting- its verdict or finding, or in any other circumstances, except that upon an issue as to the validity of a verdict or indictment no evidence shall be received concerning the effect which anything had upon the mind of a juror as tending to cause *18him to assent to or dissent from the verdict or indictment or concerning the mental processes by which it was reached.”
The Iowa rule is based upon the distinction between extrinsic or overt acts which may be corroborated or disproved, such as access to improper matter or an illegal method of reaching a verdict, and intrinsic matters which “inhere in the verdict itself” and hence are known only to the individual juror, such as misunderstanding or prejudice. Because matters which “inhere” in the verdict, including the thought processes and motives of the juror in reaching his decision, are not readily capable of being either corroborated or disproved they should be excluded.
The United States Supreme Court’s position on this subject is somewhat confused. In the case of Mattox v. United States, 146 U.S. 140 [13 S.Ct. 50, 36 L.Ed. 917], the liberal Iowa rule was approved and applied. However, in the later and much cited case of McDonald v. Pless, 238 U.S. 264 [35 S.Ct. 783, 59 L.Ed. 1300], the court seems to have reverted back to Mansfield’s strict rule of exclusion with the modification that it is subject to departure in cases of extreme injustice. The lower federal courts understandably have wavered between these two positions but have generally admitted jurors’ testimony as to “overt acts” or “extraneous matters” such as unauthorized inspections. (See discussion of cases 47 Colum.L.Rev. 1373, 1374.)
In spite of the fact that the legal scholars in this field are practically unanimous in their opinion that the Iowa rule is sound, it must be conceded that the majority of the states still adhere to the Mansfield rule. The reason for this has been several times noted. Justice Learned Hand stated it as follows : “. . . judges again and again repeat the consecrated rubric which has so confused the subject; it offers an easy escape from embarrassing choices.” (Jorgensen v. York Ice Machinery Corp., supra (2d Cir. 1947) 160 F.2d 432, 435, cert. denied, 332 U.S. 764 [68 S.Ct. 69, 92 L.Ed. 349].) Justice Carter agrees: 1 ‘ This persistence may, perhaps, be attributed to the one great difficulty with a rule that may be stated clearly and simply. When such a rule is completed- and rounded, the corners smoothed and the content cohesive and coherent, it is likely to become a thing in itself, a work of art. It is then like a finely engineered bridge or a completed painting. One hates to disturb it. Even if knowledge and experience should demonstrate its obsolescence, one hates to tear it down because it has existed so long in its original design.” *19(Kollert v. Cundiff, supra, 50 Cal.2d 768, 774-775 (dissenting opinion).)
Generally speaking, now that the only legal reason advanced by Mansfield no longer exists, the courts cite one or more of the following reasons for continuing to invoke the strict rule of exclusion: (1) The need for stability of verdicts; (2) the need to protect jurors from fraud and harassment by disappointed litigants; (3) the desire to prevent prolonged litigation; (4) the need to prevent verdicts from being set aside because of the subsequent doubts or change of attitude by a juror; (5) the concept of the sanctity of the jury room.
Wigmore has completely demolished these arguments (8 Wigmore on Evidence (McNaughton rev. 1961) § 2353, pp. 697-699). In 47 Colum.L.Rev. 1373, 1375, it is stated in a note commenting on Learned Hand’s decision in Jorgensen v. York Ice Machinery Corp., supra, 160 F.2d 432, which rejects the Mansfield rule: , [S]uch a stand has long been overdue since the inadequacy of the arguments in support of the Mansfield rule has been effectively shown [citations]. It is anomalous that the best and usually the only evidence of which the case admits should be excluded [citation]. The objection that admission of this evidence would allow undue tampering with jurors is greatly exaggerated; courts in early decisions before the rule was adopted were apparently not troubled by fear of excessive jury corruption [citations]. The argument that uncertainty of jury verdicts would result from a more liberal rule of admissibility is misdirected since the acceptance of jurors’ testimony does not mean that any jury irregularity warrants a new trial, but only that such evidence may be considered in determining whether or not a new trial is required [citation]. The real problem, therefore, is substantive rather than procedural; namely, what kind of jury misbehavior should be considered grounds for reversal.”
The fear that under the Iowa rule a juror might have doubts about his verdict and subsequently seek to upset it by an affidavit on motion for new trial is unfounded. This is so because a juror’s testimony or affidavit is and should be admissible only when it concerns overt acts. Furthermore, admissibility of the evidence does not a fortiori mean reversal—prejudice must be proved. (See e.g., 10 Hastings L.J. 319 and 13 Hastings L.J. 415.)
Under these circumstances, the question is a very simple one. Admittedly several jurors have been guilty of misconduct in taking and securing evidence out of court. Admittedly this *20is a factor that a trial court should consider on a motion for a new trial. The question is not whether there was misconduct, but how shall that admitted misconduct be shown? The trial court held, as a matter of law, that the affidavits of the offending jurors' could not be considered by it. Such testimony was obviously the best evidence available on the issue. Had the wife of one of the offending jurors who accompanied him while he made the improper measurements filed the affidavit to the effect that she had observed her husband, such affidavit would admittedly have been admissible. Had a bailiff sworn to guard the jury observed the improper conduct his affidavit would be admissible. Yet here where it is admitted that misconduct occurred, the majority say that even though such misconduct may have deprived the plaintiff of a fair trial we will not permit him to show that by the affidavit of the very man that committed the overt act that constituted the misconduct. This is logically absurd. If this were sound law the majority should be willing, to hold that a voluntary confession is never admissible, which was the original basis of the rule. Yet, the majority have signed many opinions holding to the contrary. ,
There is another phase of this problem that should be seriously considered. The jury system in civil cases is under attack from many sources. Those of. us who believe in the jury system should be alert to protect that system from legitimate criticism, and to improve it where possible. We should not by judicial mandate lay down or approve a rule of law that subjects that system to legitimate criticism, if such can be avoided. To hold that a juror has been guilty of misconduct that may have affected the fairness of the verdict, but that the juror who committed the misconduct cannot testify to that fact, is certainly not to protect the jury system from legitimate criticism. Such a rule is not based on any principle of fairness, logic or reason. Such a holding gives the critics of the jury system a legitimate argument to contend that su.ch an unfair result demonstrates one of the inherent weaknesses of that system.
. I would hold that as to overt acts of misconduct a, juror, on motion for a new trial, may testify to such misconduct, arid that, the trial court erred in excluding such testimony from its consideration. Then it would be for the trial court to determine whether such admitted misconduct was prejudicial.
I would reverse the judgment and the order denying the motion for a new trial.

In the.case here involved the majority opinion admits that the jurors involved were guilty of misconduct in seeking and securing evidence out of court. Thus, a ground for a new trial exists. The only question is can those ovért acts of misconduct be proved by the affidavit of the offending jurors, obviously the best evidence available. Of course, the f act that misconduct here occurred, even if the affidavits were admissible,. would not necessarily mean that a new trial must be granted. It is for the trial court to determine whether such misconduct deprived the plaintiff of a fair;trial.' But here the trial court denied the new trial “on the; sole ground that the affidavits . , . are inadmissible. ” ,

I have found only one author who advocates that the strict rule should be retained (Note (1955) 43 Cal. L.Rev. 729). One other author expressed some hesitation about overruling the Mansfield doctrine (Note (1954) 2 U.C.L.A. L.Rev. 278).

These are listed by Wigmore (8 Wigmore on Evidence (McNaughton rev. 1961), $ 2354, p. 702, fn. 1) as: The federal courts (perhaps); Florida) jowa, Kansas, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon,- Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.