Court Opinion

ID: 9672926
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 04:02:55.902072+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:19.318979
License: Public Domain

Fitzgerald, P. J.,
(dissenting). Plaintiff appeals from the denial by the trial court of his motion for a new trial, following a finding of the jury for the defendant. The controverted facts, as nearly as is possible to discern from the briefs and records, are as follows:
Plaintiff, a 15-year-old boy, was operating his unlicensed homemade motorbike in an easterly direction on US 2 near the city of Iron River. Upon reaching Sunset Lake road, he began a left turn, but he was struck while still in the eastbound lane by the defendant’s automobile. Defendant is also a 15-year-old boy who was operating his father’s automobile in the same direction on US 2. Plaintiff suffered injury for which he brought this action to recover damages. Plaintiff was accompanied on his journey by his friend, Robert Weeks, who also was operating a motorbike. Defendant testified that he first saw plaintiff anil Weeks on the paved shoulder of the road about 700 feet away, and that he tooted his horn for warning. However, upon defendant’s reaching the 2 boys, the plaintiff unexpectedly turned in front of the defendant’s automobile without giving any signal, so that the defendant could not Iielp striking the plaintiff. Plaintiff’s bike had no rear-view mirror nor mechanical signals. Fright*329ened, the defendant then left the scene of the accident, but returned 10 to 15 minutes later and called the sheriff.
At the trial, Frank Marinoff testified that he was a passenger in defendant’s ear and that plaintiff was on the shoulder of the road before beginning his turn. The precise location of the plaintiff when he began the turn varied according to the testimony of witnesses at the trial: (1) Defendant: plaintiff was on the shoulder. (2) Carlson, witness walking 30-150 feet down Sunset Lake road: plaintiff was on the shoulder. (3) Marinoff: plaintiff was on the shoulder. (4) Plaintiff: plaintiff was in the middle of the east lane on US 2. (5) Weeks: plaintiff was in the middle of the east lane on US 2. These attempts to pinpoint the location were important to the jury on the question of negligence and contributory negligence. As noted above, the jury returned a verdict of no cause of action in favor of the defendant. However, subsequent to the trial, the plaintiff demanded a hearing pursuant to GCR 1963, 527, on the basis that 3 newly discovered witnesses would testify that Marinoff was not in defendant’s vehicle at the time of the accident. The trial court heard the new testimony and denied plaintiff’s motion, from which this appeal is had.
Allegations of perjury abound on this appeal. Two examples will he provided to articulate the problem of determining the truth as faced by the trial court and the jury. Carlson, a 14-year-old boy, testified at the trial that he was 30 feet from the intersection, by himself, walking on Sunset Lake road when he saw the collision, and that his friend, Russell Johnson, didn’t see it. At the hearing on the motion for a new trial, defendant’s “new” witness, Johnson, testified that he was with Carlson when the collision occurred, that he saw a passenger in the car whom he could not identify, that it *330was oil the shoulder, and that he and Carlson were 100-150 feet from the scene. Marinoff, as noted above, testified that he was with the defendant at the time of the collision. Mr. and Mrs. Rosenquist, neighbors of Mr. Marinoff, and Mrs. Erickson, testified at the hearing that they clearly saw the defendant first pass by them east on US 2 toward Marinoff’s home alone, following the accident. Some of these witnesses then testified that they again saw defendant and Marinoff going back to the scene of the accident. All of these observations were made at a point much further east than defendant and Marinoff testified they had gone before returning, said point being much closer to Marinoff’s home. I add that the distance from the accident to the home of Marinoff was about 5 or 6 miles, that the 3 witnesses testified that the defendant was driving at a high rate of speed, and that defendant was back at the scene of the accident 15 minutes after he hit plaintiff.
Both parties agree that there was ample evidence to support the verdict of the jury in defendant’s favor. However, the concern here is not with the quantity of the evidence, but with the quality. If it is all to be believed, then it is unquestionably substantial enough evidence, but if there is a question of its validity which is resolved against it, then the jury verdict based on such evidence certainly cannot stand and a new trial should be granted. GCR 1963, 527, 528.
Defendant’s argument is simply that both he and plaintiff knew of these “other” Avitnesses long before the trial and that, ergo, the plaintiff should have been aware of any and all information which they might have possessed. Defendant also says that plaintiff’s chief witness at the hearing for the motion testified that she had told plaintiff many times before the trial that Marinoff Avas not in the *331automobile. Therefore, defendant alleges that the trial court was correct in denying a motion based on newly discovered evidence when it was apparent that the evidence was already known to the plaintiff before the trial, and could have been used and produced at the trial with reasonable diligence. Such is the burden on the plaintiff in making such a motion. He must show that such evidence could not have been produced on the trial by the use of reasonable diligence on his part. G-CR 1963, 527.1(6); Grenawalt v. Nyhuis (1952), 335 Mich 76.
Basic to plaintiff’s contention at the hearing was the alleged fact, to be proven, that Marinoff and Johnson were not present at the scene of the collision and thus that their vital testimony was perjured, entitling the plaintiff to a new trial. But to so hold, one must be willing to consider the testimony of the 3 witnesses as “new” evidence.
In its opinion, following the hearing, the trial court did not mention any failure of plaintiff’s counsel to proceed diligently pursuant to GfCR 1963, 527.1 (6). Instead, the court proceeded on the theory that plaintiff was attempting to secure a new trial on the basis of intrinsic fraud or perjury. The decision reads as follows:
“I am satisfied that Michigan is committed to the rule that intrinsic fraud or perjury is not the basis for a motion for a new trial, based on newly discovered evidence. Litigation has to end sometime, and whether a witness lies during the trial is to be determined at that time by cross-examination.”
This is a misstatement of the current law of this State. The discussion on GCR 1963, 528, found in 3 Honigman & Hawkins, Michigan Court Rules Annotated (2d ed), p 184, states:
“Sub-rule 528.3(3) authorizes the courts, * * # to relieve a party from a judgment on grounds of *332fraud, whether heretofore denominated intrinsic or extrinsic. * * *■
“The distinction between ‘extrinsic’ and ‘intrinsic’ fraud has been recognized in former Michigan practice. In equitable actions for relief from judgments allegedly procured by perjured testimony, the rule was that such relief could not be allowed since perjury was intrinsic fraud. Fawcett v. Atherton (1941), 298 Mich 362, and see additional cases under Michigan Decisions, infra note 9, and MLP Judgment § 136. It must be emphasized, however, that this rule limiting relief to cases of extrinsic fraud was applicable only to independent actions for equitable relief against a judgment rendered in another proceeding. It was at the same time recognized that relief from a judgment procured by intrinsic fraud could be granted upon a timely application for a rehearing or to vacate or to set aside the judgment filed directly in the same proceeding from which relief was sought. See Dodge v. Detroit Trust Co. (1942), 300 Mich 575, 609.
“* * * Consequently, it may still be the rule that in independent equitable actions for relief against judgments in other proceedings, the fraud must be extrinsic and collateral to the matter tried and not a matter actually or potentially in issue in the action. However, this limitation has no application to the motion for relief from judgment timely filed under sub-rule 528.3 directly in the same proceedings from which relief is sought.”
The trial court also made a factual finding that it was satisfied Prank Marinoff was indeed in the defendant’s automobile. There was no mention of the “new'” testimony of Russell Johnson. At the outset of the hearing, the trial court commented as follows:
“What the plaintiffs are attempting to do here is secure a new trial on the basis of intrinsic fraud or perjury, and I have indicated to counsel that I seri*333ously question whether that is proper basis for a new trial. However, 1 am going to,permit you to make a record on this, Mr. Wisti, [plaintiff’s counsel] , so I will let you proceed.”
We question any such factual finding when it is made under a misinterpretation of the present law of the State concerning fraud or perjury, which normally requires a new trial. Pursuant to GCR 1963, 527.1 and 528.3, I feel a new trial should be ordered on this entire matter. New evidence has been introduced by both parties which is confusing and contradictory to say the least, and justice would best be served by affording both parties to this action the opportunity to present all of their witnesses and their various testimonies for the consideration of a jury. The Court in Cole v. Simpson (1941), 299 Mich 589, in speaking of confusing newly discovered evidence, said, p 596:
“We base our decision on the ground that defendant’s [plaintiff’s] motion for a new trial should have been' granted, because of subsequent discovery of evidence which, if true, would affect the question of damages and the cause of her [his] disorder to a very considerable extent.”
The Court could not readily ascertain the truth in the Cole Case, and I find the same difficulty here.
I would reverse and remand for a new trial.