Court Opinion

ID: 9578590
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 21:46:41.206754+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:28:50.758484
License: Public Domain

MATTHEWS, Justice,
dissenting.
While I agree with the majority that the incidents pertaining to the dog and the car do not justify eviction, I disagree with the majority’s rejection of the trial court’s finding that appellant had otherwise “complied with all requirements and conditions imposed upon it by law and the rental agreement.” The majority, unlike the trial court, concludes that two incidents involving failure to supervise children justify appellant’s eviction. A discussion of those incidents is in order.
On November 17,1977, when Mrs. Osness was not home, a twenty-two caliber rifle went off in her trailer. The bullet went through the front door and broke a window in a neighbor’s trailer. Fortunately, no one was injured. The rifle was brought to Mrs. Osness’ trailer by a friend of her children. It is undisputed that the rifle discharged accidentally. The rifle and person who brought it were removed from the trailer park by an investigating state trooper. There is no evidence or allegation that Mrs. Osness’ children normally play with or have access to guns.
On November 23, 1977, an Alaska state trooper searched the Osness trailer and found a number of stolen items, some of which were claimed by park tenants, including a wristwatch and television set. Mrs. Osness testified that much of the property was hidden in a manner that prevented her discovering it. She testified that a television set, the stolen property in plain view, was loaned to her by a teenage friend of her older son who claimed that his family owned it. She testified that since her discovery of the stolen property she had made efforts to keep her children away from others who might be a bad influence on them.
Some violations under AS 34.03.220(a) are not remediable, especially where there is a significant impact on health and safety. This case presents a close question as to whether Mrs. Osness’ failure to supervise her children is a remediable violation. To some extent the impact of the accidental gun shot and discovery of stolen property is irremediable, since Osness’ neighbors will always harbor a degree of apprehension that similar incidents will recur. On the other hand, Mrs. Osness testified that she has taken steps to more closely monitor her children and assure that there will be no similar events in the future. None had occurred in the time between the eviction notice and the trial.
The trial court’s conclusion that the incidents arising out of Mrs. Osness’ failure to supervise her children do not justify evic*611tion is basically factual. This court does not ordinarily reverse a factual determination unless it is clearly erroneous. Alaska Rule of Civil Procedure 52(a). Such an error is said to exist where we have a definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been made.1 My examination of the record in this case has not left me with such a conviction.

. See, e.g., Steward v. City of Anchorage, 391 P.2d 730, 731 (Alaska 1964).