Court Opinion

ID: 9549267
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 18:15:32.967272+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:20:03.543211
License: Public Domain

BAKES, Justice,
dissenting:
I agree with the majority’s analysis that the trial court did not err in denying appellant’s motion for summary judgment on the various estoppel theories. As the majority has pointed out, the conduct of Albertson’s was equivocal, and therefore the trial court was correct in ruling that appellants were not entitled to a partial summary judgment on the issue of liability as a matter of law. However, the court below did not try the estoppel issues but only tried the question of respondent Albertson’s negligence. Since the evidence concerning the estoppel claims of appellant was disputed, the trial court certainly would not have been justified in granting summary judgment in favor of Albertson’s on those issues. However, as a result of the way the case was tried below that is precisely what occurred. The appellants did not receive a trial on their estoppel issues. The judgment below should be reversed and remanded for a new trial on all the issues raised by the appellants’ pleadings.
I am also inclined to agree with Justice Bistline that the letter which Albertson’s wrote should have been admitted at trial on the basis that it was evidence of an admission against interest unrelated to any payments, evidence of which, of course, would not have been admissible under I.C. § 41— 1840.