Court Opinion

ID: 9535362
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:48:22.197762+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:33:13.732513
License: Public Domain

MANDERINO, Justice,
dissenting.
I emphatically dissent. The majority’s conclusion in this case ignores concepts of fundamental fairness. First of all, eight of fifteen judges (including the trial court) were not available for civil trial on Monday, November 10, 1975, apparently because Tuesday, November 11, 1975 was a holiday. Appellant’s counsel had made arrangements specifically with counsel for Dublin Sportswear to proceed on that Monday and they had even chosen a jury. Furthermore, appellant’s counsel had told Dublin Sportswear’s counsel by that Monday he would be unavailable for trial until Thursday. He even contacted various court personnel to that effect. Moreover, the trial judge apparently did not tell appellant’s counsel that jury trial would proceed ex parte. Appellant’s counsel claims that had he been told this, he would have made alternate arrangements. Finally, there was no real showing of prejudice to Dublin Sportswear justifying the drastic procedure of proceeding with a jury trial ex parte.
It is regrettable that so much judicial time and effort have gone into this matter. However, an injustice was done to appellant here because of what was possibly a misunderstanding by appellant’s counsel, the trial court and Dublin Sportswear’s counsel. There is no indication that appellant’s counsel expressly refused to appear for trial on Wednesday, November 12. That appellant’s counsel was involved in federal court and juvenile court on Wednesday, November 12, a fact previously known to counsel for Dublin Sportswear and various court personnel, and made known to the trial court on that very day, constitutes “satisfactory excuse” for counsel’s absence under the circumstances of this case. Thus, it was reversible error for the trial court to proceed ex parte.