Allen v. Durfee

392 P.2d 430, 87 Idaho 260, 1964 Ida. LEXIS 238
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedMay 22, 1964
DocketNo. 9360
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 392 P.2d 430 (Allen v. Durfee) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Allen v. Durfee, 392 P.2d 430, 87 Idaho 260, 1964 Ida. LEXIS 238 (Idaho 1964).

Opinion

TAYLOR, Justice.

Plaintiff (appellant) brought this action to recover $5,346.40, alleged balance due upon an oral contract for feeding cattle for defendant (respondent). Defendant by counterclaim sought and recovered $646.32 for overpayment and damages.

A pretrial order, approved by counsel for both parties, recites that the parties entered into an oral contract in November, 1961, whereby plaintiff agreed to feed and care for certain Holstein heifers for the defendant for which plaintiff was to be [263]*263compensated on the basis of 200 per pound of gain in weight of the cattle; that 156 head of cattle were delivered to plaintiff on November 16, 1961, and four additional head on May 18, 1962; that defendant paid to plaintiff, on or about April 10, 1962, on account, the sum of $4,680.00; and that on or about May 23, 1962, the cattle were returned to defendant.

Plaintiff testified that, by the terms of the original agreement, he was to retain possession of the heifers until they were bred and ready for shipment as “heavy springers” ; that about March 15, 1962, defendant requested return of the cattle, which plaintiff refused on the ground that the cattle had not been bred and were not ready for shipment as heavy springers, and in that respect the contract had not been complied with; that he then agreed to deliver possession if defendant would compensate him, at the rate of 330 per head per day, for the time he had cared for the cattle; that defendant did not take the cattle at that time, but agreed to pay 330 per head per day, for the time the cattle were in plaintiff’s care; and that the contract was modified accordingly.

Defendant testified that the original agreement was never modified; that according to its terms he was entitled to have the cattle returned at any time, upon request; that there was no agreement that the cattle should be bred and prepared for shipment as heavy springers; that the $4,-680.00 paid by him to plaintiff was based upon an estimated gain of one pound per head per day; that when the cattle were returned to him about May 23, 1962, at his request, they had not gained in weight sufficient to entitle plaintiff to the amount estimated in April, but had in fact gained only 21,253 pounds which, at 200 per pound, amounted to $4,250.60, resulting in an overpayment of $429.40; that if the cattle had been properly fed and handled they would have gained an average of not less than 11/¡ pounds per head per day; that by defendant’s contract with the owner, defendant was to be paid 210 per pound of gain, or a profit to defendant of 10 per pound after paying 200 per pound to the plaintiff; that plaintiff did not properly feed and care for the cattle, by reason of such neglect on his part, the cattle did not gain an average of U/2 pounds per head per day, resulting in a loss to defendant of $216.94.

The cause was tried to a jury. A verdict was returned, in favor of the defendant, upon which judgment was entered for the sum of $646.32 on his counterclaim.

By his first assignment of error plaintiff contends the court erred in admitting in .evidence defendant’s exhibits 1 and 2. Exhibit 1 consisted of the “weigh slips” purporting to be the scale record of the weight of the cattle delivered to plaintiff; and exhibit 2 consisted of weigh slips purporting to be the scale record of the weight of the cattle when returned to defendant. [264]*264As to these exhibits, the pretrial order recites :

“ * * * the authenticity ' of these exhibits has been stipulated but they have been received subject to objections by the opposing party, if any, at the trial, to their relevancy and materiality.”

When exhibit 1 was offered at the trial, plaintiff objected on the ground that it was not shown that the weights evidenced thereby were of the cattle involved. The objection was considered at the next ensuing recess in the absence of the jury. The following occurred between court and counsel :

“Mr. Hep worth [defendant’s counsel] : It may be recalled by Mr. Walker [plaintiff’s counsel] and the Court when arrangements for the pre-trial conference were made, one of the stated purposes was to have these white slips identified and admitted in order to avoid bringing Mr. Wagner’s employees over from Twin Falls. The pre-trial order was made as read by the Court. That has been more than two months ago, and no objection has yet been heard until now from Mr. Walker, and I would think to deny their admittance now on the basis they are not properly identified would be to give unfair advantage to Mr. Allen and I think contrary to our rules of pre-trial conference.
“The Court: Mr. Walker, if you would follow me. I will read this to you. ‘Defendant’s exhibits — IS weight slips showing the weight of the cattle delivered to the plaintiff and returned to the defendant by the plaintiff.’ Now, a copy of this was sent you, and I wrote because you had been ill, and told you I would give you time to object to these, and you wrote back and said you would like to confirm these with your client and would advise the Court if not acceptable. I relied upon that, and I am sure counsel for the defendant did. I still don’t want to tie your hands. If you have any evidence to show these are not the proper weight slips of the cattle in and out and positive testimony that there was any skulduggery back and forth or shifting of cattle from the time they were weighed in and out, I will give you the right to present that, but I don’t think I should shift the burden. Do you understand the Court’s position?
“Mr. Walker: I understand.”

Defendant’s counsel then asked if any evidence attacking the genuineness of the exhibits was to be offered by plaintiff, that it be presented “today,” stating as a reason for the request that he would have to call several of the owner’s drivers over from Twin Falls.

[265]*265Plaintiff then called a witness, whom he attempted to qualify as an expert, for the purpose of eliciting testimony as to what similar cattle would reasonably be estimated to gain per day on a feed lot. The court sustained objections to the competency and materiality of the evidence offered and plaintiff did not pursue the issue further. Defendant contends plaintiff was precluded from urging his objection because he had stipulated to the “authenticity” of the exhibits, as shown by the pretrial order, and plaintiff countered that he had preserved his right to object on the ground of “materiality.” There may well have been some confusion in the minds of the court and counsel as to the effect of the stipulation. “Authenticity” would imply that the weigh slips pertained to the cattle in question. If the exhibits were authentic they were material and admissible, even though errors or other defects may have been shown therein. Furthermore, the court and counsel could well have understood plaintiff’s reservation of his objection on the ground of relevancy and materiality to be in keeping with, and necessitated by, the theory of his complaint that the contract had been modified to provide that he was to he compensated on the basis of 33‡ per head per day, in which case, the weight of the cattle would be immaterial.

Counsel for plaintiff not being present at the pretrial conference the court wrote to him advising that he would have time to make objection to the weigh slips and plaintiff’s counsel answered that he would “confirm” the weigh slips with his client and advise the court if they were not acceptable.

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Bluebook (online)
392 P.2d 430, 87 Idaho 260, 1964 Ida. LEXIS 238, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/allen-v-durfee-idaho-1964.