Court Opinion

ID: 9683129
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 13:22:59.004716+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:45.238468
License: Public Domain

HOLMAN, Judge
(dissenting).
I respectfully dissent.
The calling of an advisory jury in an equity case is a matter within the trial court’s discretion. McCullough v. McCullough, 31 Mo. 226 (1860). And when such a jury is used, its verdict is not binding on the court. We have stated that “Equity cases are rarely tried to a jury. And in those rare instances where an issue is submitted to a jury the verdict is advisory only. The court may accept or reject the verdict and, if accepted, it is the court’s own finding on the fact issue rather than that of the jury.” Edwards v. Maples, 388 S.W.2d 850, 852 (Mo.1965). Contrary to the foregoing, the principal opinion holds that an advisory jury must be called by the trial court in this type of case and if the verdict is that the materials are not obscene the trial court is bound thereby. I do not believe that such procedure is either permissible or sound under settled equitable principles.
In accord with the well established decisions Rule 84.13(b) provides that: “No appellate court shall reverse any judgment, unless it finds that error was committed by the trial court against the appellant, materially affecting the merits of the action.” It is conceded by the principal opinion that the trial court did not err in failing to call an advisory jury in the trial of this case. We are therefore precluded by the quoted rule from reversing this judgment upon the ground that no jury was called.
I would affirm the judgment in this case.