Coffey v. Shenk

316 N.E.2d 917, 39 Ohio App. 2d 156, 68 Ohio Op. 2d 352, 1974 Ohio App. LEXIS 2680
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 28, 1974
Docket72368, 72369 and 72370
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 316 N.E.2d 917 (Coffey v. Shenk) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Coffey v. Shenk, 316 N.E.2d 917, 39 Ohio App. 2d 156, 68 Ohio Op. 2d 352, 1974 Ohio App. LEXIS 2680 (Ohio Ct. App. 1974).

Opinion

*157 LyNch, P. J.

Defendant Ernest Wilson and defendant Norwood Yellow Cab Company, are appealing the verdict and judgment in which Mary Coffey was awarded $9,853.50, Mary Hardwick was awarded $2,500, and Arlene Coffey was awarded $1,000.

This case arises out of an automobile accident on October 28, 1962, at the intersection of Maple Avenue and Station Avenue, Norwood, Ohio, in which the three plaintiffs were in an automobile, going east on Maple Avenue, and was hit broadside by defendants’ taxicab, which was going north on Station Avenue and did not stop for the stop sign. The taxicab was driven by defendant Ernest Wilson, who was employed by Norwood Yellow Cab Company.

It was stipulated by defense counsel that defendant Wilson was negligent so that the only questions before the jury were the nature, extent, severity and duration of the injuries suffered by the three plaintiffs as a result of this accident.

Defendants’ first assignment of error concerns alleged misconduct of counsel for plaintiffs in commenting on material in defense counsel’s file which resulted in prejudicial error when the trial court refused to remedy the misconduct or grant a'mistrial.

Under the cross-examination of defendant Wilson, Mr. Wilson testified that he had seen pictures of the accident in Mr. Smith’s office. Counsel for plaintiffs then requested Mr. Smith to produce these pictures. Mr. Smith’s objection was sustained by the trial court on the basis that they were the work product of counsel, and the jury was instructed to disregard anything pertaining to these photographs. Defendant’s motion for a mistrial was overruled. • •

Defense counsel eventually introduced photographs of each car involved in this accident.

Plaintiffs’ counsel commented on these photographs in his closing argument.

We overrule defendants’ first assignment of error because we hold that neither the request of plaintiffs’ counsel for the photographs of defendant Wilson’s taxicab which *158 were in the possession of counsel for defendants, nor the comment on such photographs by plaintiffs’ counsel in his closing argument, under the circumstances of this case, constituted such misconduct as to be prejudicial error. Cusumano v. Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co., 9 Ohio App. 2d 105; 53 Ohio Jurisprudence 2d 168-169, Trial, Section 258; 4 Ohio Jurisprudence 2d 204-205, Appellate Review, Section 959.

Defendants’ second assignment of error has several branches, but it relates to the trial court’s overruling of the motions of defendant Wilson to quash service of summons.

The address of Ernest Wilson, on the second amended petition which was filed October 20, 1964, was listed as 6313 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, hut he was served through the Secretary of the State of Ohio pursuant to R. C. 2703.20.

Judge Charles E. Webber’s narrative bill of exceptions contained the following:

“Plaintiffs’ counsel stated by way of testimony that diligent effort was made to locate the whereabouts of the defendants, Johnny Brown and Ernest Wilson, including a conversation with Dorothy Lipp prior to her being made a defendant in the original action, and her conversation indicated that Johnny Brown and Ernest Wilson were no longer in the jurisdiction and that their whereabouts were unknown. Further counsel introduced and made a part of the record a letter sent to Ernest Wilson by regular ordinary first-class mail prior to filing a suit against him which letter was sent to his last known address on October 16th, 1964 which letter was returned marked ‘Unfound, no forwarding address.’ ”

Defendant Wilson in his answer stated that the trial court had no jurisdiction to hear this case because he was not served with summons according to law, and that the action of plaintiffs was barred by the statute of limitations.

Defendant Wilson testified at the trial that at the time of the accident he lived with his mother at the corner of Maple and Montgomery, but that the address on his driv *159 er’s license from which the police took his address was 6313 Vine Street, which is where his ex-wife lived. In 1962, Mr. Wilson moved to Mineral Avenue, where he lived for two years. In 1964 he moved to 12158 Marwood Lane, Springdale, Ohio.

Defendant Wilson contends that he was an Ohio resident at the time this accident occurred and at all times thereafter; therefore, the provisions of R. C. 2703.20 were inapplicable to this case. However, the address of defendant Wilson furnished to the investigating policeman was not his correct address. We feel that plaintiffs had a right to rely on this address as being the correct address of defendant Wilson at the time of the accident. Upon a review of the entire record, we conclude that Judge Webber’s decision that the plaintiffs used due diligence to locate defendant Wilson and that R. C. 2703.20 is applicable to this case is amply supported under the facts. See Hendershot v. Ferkel, 144 Ohio St. 112; Volmer v. Hoel, 87 Ohio App. 199.

We find defendants’ second assignment of error to be without merit.

Defendants’ third assignment of error concerns statements of counsel for plaintiffs, on final argument, concerning loss of earnings which, he claims, were misrepresented and misstated. Counsel also claims that the trial court failed to correct this error, either contemporaneously or at the conclusion of its general charge.

Defendants introduced into evidence the payroll records of plaintiff Mary Coffey, from General Electric Company, covering the period from September 21, 1964, through December 1971. They revealed that she lost considerable time from work, but did not reveal the reason for Mrs. Coffey’s not working.

In his closing argument counsel for plaintiffs commented that P. X. 9 reveals that Mrs. Coffey lost 2636 hours of work between 1964 and 1971, which amounted to $7,908, at $3 per hour. He also estimated that the loss of time between the time of the accident and 1964 w<*;uld amount to $2,256, plus the earnings for one month in the amount of *160 $380 about which there is no dispute, making a total of $10,544. Defense counsel’s objection was overruled by the trial court, The trial court instructed the jury that any comments of counsel, like opening statements or closing-statements, are only given to aid them in their deliberations and were not evidence. At the conclusion of the general charge, defense counsel again stated that he felt that the assumption of plaintiffs’ counsel as to the loss of earnings of Mrs. Coffey between 1962 and 3964 was improper, but the trial court disagreed with him.

It is well settled law that where there is some evidence in the record, counsel may make inferences and deductions therefrom in their closing arguments. Furthermore, considerable liberality is allowed counsel in drawing such inferences. Cusumano v. Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co., supra at 122; 53 Ohio Jurisprudence 2d, supra.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Maynor v. Ewings, Unpublished Decision (9-23-2004)
2004 Ohio 5033 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2004)
State v. Bereschik
689 N.E.2d 589 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1996)
Stonerock v. Miller Bros. Paving, Inc.
594 N.E.2d 94 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1991)
Zinn v. Leach
8 Ohio App. Unrep. 99 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1990)
Jackson v. Booth Memorial Hospital
547 N.E.2d 1203 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1988)
Trubulas v. Doland
528 N.E.2d 1313 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1987)
Dennis C. Sours v. General Motors Corporation
717 F.2d 1511 (Sixth Circuit, 1983)
Durst v. Van Gundy
455 N.E.2d 1319 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1982)
Ohio Fair Plan Underwriting Assn. v. Goldstein
441 N.E.2d 1146 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1982)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
316 N.E.2d 917, 39 Ohio App. 2d 156, 68 Ohio Op. 2d 352, 1974 Ohio App. LEXIS 2680, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/coffey-v-shenk-ohioctapp-1974.