Court Opinion

ID: 9630015
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 09:57:31.745201+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:07:28.828507
License: Public Domain

CARTER, J.
I dissent.
I had heretofore thought that at least one rule of law remained firmly fixed in the jurisprudence of this state: that a party litigant was, at the very least, entitled to have the jury correctly instructed as to the law as it related to his particular lawsuit. The majority opinion frankly admits that there is no dispute as to what the applicable rule of law is; that plaintiff was entitled to instructions in conformity with the rule; that the jury was clearly misinformed by the court as to that rule of law.
The evidence was sharply conflicting as to whether the dog had dangerous propensities. If the dog did have dangerous propensities, defendant was under an absolute duty to restrain it. The matter is just as simple as that, but the jury was not so instructed. It was instructed that defendant must only exercise ordinary care.
*629Plaintiff’s theory was that the dog had dangerous propensities which were known to defendant. She was entitled to have the jury instructed in accordance with that theory: Buckley v. Silverberg, 113 Cal. 673 [45 P. 804]; Ritchey v. Watson, 204 Cal. 387 [268 P. 345]; Waniorek v. United Railroads, 17 Cal.App. 121 [118 P. 947]; Klamath etc. Co. v. Co-operative etc. Co., 25 Cal.App. 678 [145 P. 159]; Cassinelli v. Bennen, 110 Cal.App. 722 [294 P. 748]; Buckley v. Shell Chemical Co., 32 Cal.App.2d 209 [89 P.2d 453]; Lewis v. Western Truck Line, 44 Cal.App.2d 455 [112 P.2d 747]; McGowan v. City of Los Angeles, 100 Cal.App.2d 386 [223 P.2d 862, 21 A.L.R.2d 1206]; Daniels v. City & County of San Francisco, 40 Cal.2d 614 [255 P.2d 785]; Perin v. Nelson & Sloan, 119 Cal.App.2d 560 [259 P.2d 959]; Rideau v. Los Angeles Transit Lines, 124 Cal.App.2d 466 [268 P.2d 772]; Sills v. Los Angeles Transit Lines, 40 Cal.2d 630, 640 [255 P.2d 795]; Petersen v. Rieschel, 115 Cal.App.2d 758 [252 P.2d 986]; Summers v. Randall, 123 Cal.App.2d 113 [266 P.2d 217]; Nelson v. Angel, 124 Cal.App.2d 861 [269 P.2d 626].
A jury is bound to follow the law as it is given to it in the instructions given by the court. The rule is set forth in 24 California Jurisprudence, section 96, page 822, as follows: “As a general rule instructions excluding issues or defenses which are supported by evidence are prejudicially erroneous.” (Emphasis added.) If the jury is not instructed as to the law applicable to plaintiff’s case it must, in effect, find for the defendant. Under the circumstances how can it be said that instructions giving only defendant’s theory of the case did not prejudice plaintiff? The majority indulges in speculation in order to decide just what the jury thought in returning its verdict. The trial court was of the opinion that ordinary care was all that was required of defendant and the jury was so instructed. The theory of plaintiff’s case was never brought to the attention of the jury and, as a result, she has been denied her day in court.
The judgment should be reversed.
Appellant’s petition for a rehearing was denied June 23, 1955. Carter, J., was of the opinion that the petition should be granted.