Court Opinion

ID: 9797592
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 04:24:53.769389+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:57:38.132953
License: Public Domain

SPANGLER, District Judge, Retired,
concurring.
[¶ 27] I agree with the majority opinion except in its discussion of the sudden emergency doctrine and the obvious danger rule. I would discard both concepts. The sudden emergency instruction contradicts itself. It begins by stating that one who must act suddenly in the face of imminent danger is not required to use the same degree of care as at other times. But in the next breath, it says that the emergency rule does not mean that any different standard is to be applied. In any event, the instruction is unnecessary. The conduct required is still that of a reasonable person under the circumstances. Trial judges are left in the dark as to when this instruction should be used.
[¶ 28] The majority opinion indicates that the obvious danger rule is no longer an absolute defense. This is contrary to the holding in the case of Valance v. VI-Doug, Inc., 2002 WY 113, 50 P.3d 697 (Wyo.2002). In my concurring and dissenting opinion in that case, I proposed that the obvious danger rule should be eliminated for all purposes.