Court Opinion

ID: 9658539
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 21:04:23.884991+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:13:56.539509
License: Public Domain

LANSING, Judge
(concurring specially).
I agree with the majority holding that a ruling on a motion to assert punitive damages necessarily implicates the substantive evidentiary standard of proof that would apply at trial. See Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 252, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2512, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). My point of divergence is the way in which the substantive evidentiary standard was applied in the pretrial ruling.
To add a punitive damage claim the Swanlunds are required to make a prima facie showing of evidence that could produce in the mind of the trier of fact a firm belief that Shimano acted in willful indifference to their rights or safety. See Minn.Stat. §§ 549.191, 549.20; Becker v. Alloy Hardfacing & Engineering Co., 401 N.W.2d 655, 660 (Minn.1987). The trial court’s conclusion that plaintiffs did not show “clear and convincing evidence” of willful indifference transforms a burden of production into a burden of persuasion and moves the determination of clear and convincing from the jury to the judge.
The trial court’s memorandum addresses the § 549.20 standard of proof at trial but does not refer to the § 549.191 standard for pretrial motions to add a punitive damage claim. The court specifically stated that “the plaintiffs have not met their burden of proof with regard to punitive damages.” The absence of reference to the burden of production and the substitution of the burden of proof instills additional doubt of whether the proper standard was applied. See Shetka v. Kueppers, Kueppers, Von Feldt & Salmen, 454 N.W.2d 916, 918 n. 1 (Minn.1990) (when presented with a motion to permit assertion of a punitive damage claim the judge must ascertain whether there exists prima facie evidence that the defendant acted with willful indifference).
This doubt loses its significance when viewed against the record as a whole. I agree with the majority’s holding that the standard of review for denial of a punitive damages claim is analogous to a directed verdict. Under this standard reviewing courts would make an independent assess*157ment of whether the evidence is sufficient to present a fact question to the jury. I agree with the majority’s assessment that on this record the evidence is insufficient to present a fact question to the jury. As the majority points out there is an opportunity to augment the record and renew the motion. For these reasons I concur in the result.