Court Opinion

ID: 9528393
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:40:45.149964+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:25:59.206480
License: Public Domain

ON PETITION FOR REHEARING
Kendall, J.
The appellants contended in their original brief that the trial court erred in refusing to give their tendered instruction number three, which instruction was recited in our original opinion. In that opinion, this court held that in view of appellants’ failure to present the evidence to this court upon which instruction number three was based, we could not consider the question presented by the court’s refusal to so give.
Upon appellants’ Petition for Rehearing, they contend that this court erred in its original opinion on account of such ruling. Appellants still urge in their Petition for Rehearing that appellants’ instruction number three should be considered be*462cause the court gave his own instruction number five and appellee’s instruction number five, which, in substance, instructed the jury that one of the defenses of the appellee was that of contributory negligence and that contributory negligence was such negligence on the part of the appellants as helped to produce the damage complained of. Appellants filed no brief with the petition citing any authority to substantiate their contention in this matter. It is to be noted that appellants did not object to the giving of court’s tendered instruction number five and appellee’s instruction number five. By not objecting, appellants make no claim of error in the giving of either or both of said instructions. They say that since they were given, the court should have given their tendered instruction number three. Notwithstanding, we cannot tell, since the evidence is not presented,, whether there was any evidence whatsoever that would warrant the court’s giving appellants’ tendered instruction number three which had to do with the burden of proof of contributory negligence. The mere fact that the court gave his own instruction number five and appellée’s instruction number five without objection in itself does not make proper the giving of appellants’ tendered instruction number three. As stated in the original opinion, “We have no means of knowing what the record is in this respect”.
It is not necessary to incorporate in the Bill of Exceptions all the evidence in the case but so much of the evidence as relates to the subject matter of the instruction must be incorporated in the Bill of Exceptions. Lowe’s Revision of Works’ Indiana Practice, Vol. 4, §62.9; Terry v. Davenport (1908), 170 Ind. 74, 83 N. E. 636.
*463*462Appellants’ tendered instruction number three, even if it was before the court, would not change the result, *463for it was erroneous. The wording of the instruction placed a greater burden on appellees than the law required. Evidence on' the question of contributory negligence can come from either party. This instruction told the jury that the defendant (appellee) had to produce all the evidence on the question of contributory negligence. Clearly, the instruction was erroneous and no other instruction was given, or. tendered, that correctly stated the law that the evidence could come from either the plaintiff or defendant.
Since the evidence is not in the record and in the absence thereof tending to show contributory negligence, there is no error shown in the record presented to this court.
In the absence of the evidence in the record, this court should indulge in the presumption that the instruction was not applicable to the evidence. Barrett v. Stone (1952), 123 Ind. App. 191, 108 N. E. 2d 201. Therefore, the Petition for Rehearing is denied.
Royse, P. J., not participating.
Note. — Reported in 125 N. E. 2d 168.
Rehearing denied 126 N. E. 523.
Transfer denied 133 N. E. 2d 861.