Court Opinion

ID: 9627828
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 08:55:59.922213+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:06:51.028485
License: Public Domain

Thiele, J.,
concurring specially.
With respect to the motion of the defendant company for judgment on the answers to the special questions and its appeal which is solely from the ruling denying the motion, I desire to state my own views.
Briefly stated the jury by its answer to Question No. 3 found there was no damage to the land not taken, but by its answers to Questions Nos. 4 and 5 it did find damage in the amount of $50.32. These answers cannot be reconciled with each other nor with the statement contained in the general verdict that there was no damage to the lands not taken. The rule applicable under such a situation is that stated in McCoy v. Weber, 168 Kan. 241, 212 P. 2d 281, that:
“Consistent special findings control the general verdict when contrary thereto but when they are inconsistent with one another — some showing a right to a verdict and others showing the contrary — the case is left in the condition of really being undecided and a new trial should be granted.”
Under that rule the motion for judgment on the special findings was properly denied, but under that same rule a new tidal should have been granted and ordered by the trial court on its own motion.
With respect to the cross-appeal I note that plaintiff appealed only from the denial of his motion for a new trial and I agree that there was no error in that ruling — even though a new trial must be had.
I do not believe the concluding paragraph of the opinion is accurate. Our judgment should affirm that part of the judgment of the trial court denying the appellant’s motion for judgment on the pleadings; should affirm the ruling of the trial court denying the cross-appellant’s motion for a new trial for the reasons therein stated, but for the reasons hereinbefore set forth, the judgment should be set aside and a new trial ordered.