Court Opinion

ID: 9692191
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 15:46:19.367571+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:19:32.857710
License: Public Domain

On Petition for Rehearing.
STRUTZ, Judge.
Plaintiffs have filed a petition for rehearing in which they object to the decision of this court in the above matter holding that the nature of plaintiffs’ action against the defendant Grand Forks Implement Company is determined by the allegations of the complaint where plaintiffs sued the implement company and another defendant in tort, and before trial gave to the implement company a release and covenant not to sue for a consideration of $15,000. Plaintiffs take vigorous exception to our holding that the defendant to whom such release and covenant not to sue was given, under these circumstances, would be deemed a tort-feasor, and that the plaintiffs’ claim against the remaining defendant would be reduced to the extent of the amount paid for such release and covenant not to sue. Plaintiffs argue that this holding is inconsistent with prior decisions of this court holding that only formal judicial admissions which waive evi*390dence by the adverse party will be held conclusive on the pleader.
There is nothing inconsistent in these holdings of the court. Had this case gone to trial, the pleadings would not be conclusive on the plaintiffs. In fact, where a case goes to trial, plaintiff is entitled to recover on any one of a number of causes, even though some may be inconsistent. But here we have the plaintiffs charging both defendants as tort-feasors in their complaint. Regardless of the merits of the action against it, one of the defendants was willing to buy its way out of the lawsuit. Under these circumstances, the plaintiffs will not be heard thereafter to contend that, although they did sue such defendant in tort, the defendant was not, in fact, liable in tort. The pleadings frame the issues, and the complaint against the defendant implement company, at the time of the release and covenant not to sue, charged it as a tort-feasor.
Petition for rehearing denied.
MORRIS, C. J., and TEIGEN, BURKE and ERICKSTAD, JJ., concur.