Court Opinion

ID: 9586531
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:12:25.888633+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:32:42.183557
License: Public Domain

HENSLEY, Chief Judge, Court of Appeals (dissenting). The issues presented in this type of controversy have caused much trouble in the courts and there is no unanimity of opinion. Generally, a bailor has the choice of bringing his action against the bailee in trover for conversion, in assumpsit on breach of contract, or in tort for negligence. When suing in tort for negligence after a delivery to the bailee and a subsequent failure to return is alleged and shown then a presumption of negligence arises and it devolves on the bailee to rebut the prima facia case and show that the failure to return was not the result of his negligence. This is the position taken by the majority in this case and the writer is in complete accord with that statement of the law. The difficulty lies in the fact that the rule is not applicable in this case. Here, the plaintiff affirmatively alleged the delivery of the chattels to the bailee, the failure of the bailee to return them, the destruction of the chattels by fire, and finally the negligence of the bailee in allowing the fire to start. There is one line of cases refusing to recognize any inference or presumption of negligence in a fire or theft case. There is much to be said in support of that view but a discussion is not indicated here. Another view is that if the bailor in addition to alleging the bailment and failure to return, also alleges destruction of the chattels as a result of the negligence of the bailee, that the duty of proving negligence remains with the bailor and the bailee may remain silent. To supplement the citations supplied in the majority opinion so that other facets of the problem may be seen and evaluated the following may be helpful. 8 Am.Jur.2d, Bailments, § 315; 65 A.L.R.2d § 1288, page 1249, where the distinction due to pleadings is noted; 151 A.L.R. 721 pointing out the divergence of opinion and stating that the position adhered to by the majority opinion in this case represents the minority view; Fields v. Gordon, 30 Tenn.App. 110, 203 S.W.2d 934; Glover v. Spraker, 50 Idaho 16, 292 P. 613; 8 C.J.S. Bailments § 50, page 529; Davis v. Hasdorff, Tex.Civ.App., 207 S.W.2d 424; Thrasher v. Greenlease-Ledterman, Inc., 208 Okl. 507, 257 P.2d 795; Sumsion v. Streator-Smith, Inc., 103 Utah 44, 132 P.2d 680. In this case the pleadings filed by the plaintiff have deprived him of the procedural advantage of a prima facie case. To affirm the judgment in his favor is to do so on evidence which in the words of the majority did not even support an inference. This could be avoided by yeilding to the weight of authority. Further, to require substantial evidence of negligence in a fire case, where negligence has been alleged, is to be consistent with common experience. The majority being of a different opinion, I respectfully dissent from that part of the decision determining the liability of the bailee.