Court Opinion

ID: 9682933
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 13:19:53.719205+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:43.346958
License: Public Domain

FONES, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent.
In my opinion, the learned trial judge was correct in directing a verdict in favor of defendant Holmes. His action was based upon a finding that defendant Holmes was not guilty of any proximate negligence and that the sole proximate cause of the three vehicle accident was the negligence of Jerry McDaniel.
McDaniel entered the four-lane highway from the premises of a barbecue stand on the north side of the highway, crossed the two west-bound traffic lanes and struck the Holmes south-bound vehicle in the left rear, causing Holmes to lose control and strike the rear of plaintiff’s pick-up truck, also proceeding in a southerly direction. I do not believe that the varying estimates of Holmes’ speed or his failure to be aware of the presence of the McDaniel vehicle at a earlier point in time provided any evidence of proximate negligence.
If the majority is correct in holding that the evidence presented a jury issue as to the negligence of Holmes, I agree that the trial judge’s disapproval of the jury verdict requires that the case be remanded for a new trial.
But, in my view, this case presents no issue that calls for an interpretation of the phrase in Rule 50.03, T.R.C.P., “unless the appellate court has otherwise ordered.” Plaintiff does not assert any exceptional circumstances surrounding the trial judge’s conditional granting of a new trial, nor any other factor that calls for an analysis of situations that might properly require the appellate courts to order otherwise.