Court Opinion

ID: 9461104
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 22:05:52.273841+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:36:53.567137
License: Public Domain

WILLIAM E. DOYLE, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
I respectfully dissent.
The appellee insurance company does not dispute the fact that Mellies was a real estate manager and as such was within the coverage of the insurance policy in question. However, the trial court determined that Mellies was not acting within the scope of his authority as a real estate manager at the time of the shooting.
As I view it the issue is whether Mel-lies was acting as a real estate manager for McArthur. The ultimate issue is whether the facts are such as to create an issue of fact,' a question which is to be determined by the same standard in the appellate court as in the trial court. See Swearngin v. Sears Roebuck & Co., 376 F.2d 637 (10th Cir. 1967). This standard is whether reasonable minds could differ based upon a consideration of the evidence in a light most favorable to the party against whom the decision was made. See Taylor v. National Trailer Convoy, 433 F.2d 569 (10th Cir. 1970).
Mellies testified that his duties included mowing, trimming, fertilizing and watering the lawn, removal of garbage, shoveling snow, cleaning the premises, taking care of the yard, taking care of the tools and making minor repairs. He also testified that it was his belief that he was required to protect the people and property. See R. 35, 75, 76, 77. He stated that the manner of performing his duties was left largely to him. McArthur, the owner, agreed with this. McArthur said that he did not supervise the manner of doing the tasks; that Mellies took responsibilities very seriously.
He said that he had not spoken to Mellies about trespassers since he had never had any. He said, however, that if a trespass had taken place requiring something to be done, Mellies would have done it. He stated further that he trusted Mellies and relied on his sense of responsibility. McArthur refused to testify as to whether Mellies would have been expected to protect the tenants from molestation.
One incident was mentioned at the trial in which McArthur was told about a problem. But on that occasion Mellies settled the dispute. This pertained to actions of a tenant which interfered with watering the lawn. McArthur did not object to Mellies’ handling of this.
Mellies testified that he had pursued plaintiff because of fear for his wife’s safety as well as because of concern for the property and safety of the other tenants, expecially the property stored in the garage which was near where the plaintiff was standing when Mellies first saw him on the night in question. The garage contained not only the property of the tenants, it contained tools and other property of McArthur.
The circumstances to my mind, at least, clearly warranted submission of the case to the jury since Mellies’ functions were not specifically restrictive.
I am of the opinion that the court erred in concluding as a matter of law that Mellies was not acting within the course and scope of his authority as a real estate manager and, secondly, in concluding that his pursuit of Serman was not an occurrence which arose out *37of the ownership and maintenance of the premises of the insured. Under the evidence, it was not possible for the court to conclude as a matter of law that Mel-lies was not acting as manager of the property in question but was engaged in some unrelated frolic of his own. Similarly, the activity was a probable consequence of his employment.
Restatement of Agency 2d § 228 contains a definition of implied authority and declares that the conduct must be of the kind the servant is employed to perform and must be substantially within the time and space limits; it must be actuated, at least in part, for the purpose of serving the master, and if force is intentionally used by the servant, its use must not be so foreign to the occupation as to be unexpectable by the master.
In reaching its conclusion as a matter of law the trial court predicated its ruling on the view that Mellies was merely a handyman. However, Mellies performed a vast variety of functions, whereby the jury could have concluded that protection was within his authorization. Furthermore, it is to be remembered that Mellies was the sole representative of the owner living on his property, and thus it would not be practical for him to seek out the advice of the owner in a situation calling for immediate protection. Indeed, whére this is the condition an agent is entitled to do what he reasonably believes to be necessary in order to prevent a substantial loss to the principal. See Restatement of Agency 2d § 47.
A case quite similar to ours is Guillen v. Kuykendall, 470 F.2d 745 (5th Cir. 1972). The jury was there allowed to determine whether a ranch owner’s teen-age son, who customarily protected ranch cattle from coyotes with a rifle, had authority to shoot at or over the head of trespassers on the land.
Finally, the trial court here placed emphasis on the fact that the incident occurred on adjacent property. This, however, is not a valid issue where the location is in close proximity to the property and is arguably related to it. See Restatement of Agency 2d § 234.
I do not suggest the proper outcome of this case or what I consider to be a proper determination of the issues, presented. I merely recognize that the evidence raises conflicting inferences and that the plaintiff was entitled to have his cause submitted to and determined by the jury.