Combs and Broderick, D/B/A v. Keller

142 N.E.2d 474, 127 Ind. App. 531, 1957 Ind. App. LEXIS 159
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 15, 1957
Docket18,969
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 142 N.E.2d 474 (Combs and Broderick, D/B/A v. Keller) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Combs and Broderick, D/B/A v. Keller, 142 N.E.2d 474, 127 Ind. App. 531, 1957 Ind. App. LEXIS 159 (Ind. Ct. App. 1957).

Opinions

Kelley, P. J.

Appellants’ brief reveals that appellants brought a replevin action against the appellees, by complaint in form usual in such actions, to which appellees addressed an answer denying the averments of the [533]*533complaint. The cause was originally submitted to a jury. At the close of appellants’ evidence in chief, appellants state, appellees moved the court for a directed verdict in their favor and, appellees say, appellants joined in said motion. The appellants say in their brief that the court sustained said motion and rendered judgment for appellees upon the verdict returned by the jury pursuant to the instruction of the court. The ruling of the court, the direction of the verdict, the verdict, appellants’ motion for a new trial, and the judgment of the-court are omitted from appellants’ brief. The evidence has not been brought into the record.

The complaint, in pertinent substance, alleges that the appellants “are the owners of and entitled to the immediate possession of” certain described personal property; that said property “is unlawfully detained from plaintiffs by defendants;” and that “demand has been made upon said defendants for the return of said property but that said demand has been refused.”

The briefs do not disclose any affidavit by appellants for the immediate delivery of the property (Sec. 3-2702, Burns’ 1946 Replacement), any order of the clerk issued for tiie seizure thereof, nor any copy of the writ of replevin. There appears, however, a sheriff’s return “on the writ of replevin” which states, in addition to the words of service, that the “Defendants have made bond to keep in their possession the within described property. ...”

Appellees’ motion for a directed verdict, in which appellants joined, is as follows:

“The defendants move for a directed verdict for the reason that the plaintiffs have failed to prove the essential element of their case in chief which is a demand upon the defendants for possession of the property described in the complaint.”

[534]*534Appellants assert that their motion for a new trial was overruled by the court, and that it specified, as the grounds thereof not waived, that the verdict of the jury is contrary to law, that the court erred in directing the jury to return a verdict for the defendants, and that the court erred in sustaining the motion for a directed verdict.

The appellants contend that no evidentiary question is presented, that the sole question on the record is one of law, namely: whether proof of a demand for the return of the property is essential in every instance before “the benefit of this remedy may be had.” The rationale of appellants’ contention is that under the holding in Butler v. Wolf Sussman, Inc. (1943), 221 Ind. 47, 46 N. E. 2d 243, “any affirmative conduct on his (the defendant’s) part calculated to establish title in himself, whether by pleading or proof, ought to waive a demand.”

The appellees, in effect, urge that appellants have failed to present any record or brief to show reversible error and, further, that it is essential in the case that appellants prove the allegation of their complaint that they made a demand upon appellees for possession of the property.

If we properly assess the appellants’ basic contention, it is that the single reason assigned by appellees in their motion for a directed verdict “constitutes their election of a theory. . . (and) is binding upon them” so that this court (Appellate) “must assume that the trial court limited its consideration to the single theory presented by the motion.” Such does not seem to be the holding of our Supreme Court.

In Harris v. Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway Company (1899), 153 Ind. 475, 55 N. E. 222, the record, as here, did not contain all the evidence given at the trial. The defendant, appellee, at the con[535]*535elusion of the evidence, requested a directed verdict for the reason that there was no evidence which would entitle plaintiff to recover. The court sustained the motion but limited its direction to the jury by saying “one of the things necessary to be proved by the plaintiff ... is that he has himself been free from any negligence which contributed to the injury. In this case the evidence fails to show that he exercised that care which the law requires of him, and, for that reason, I instruct you to return a verdict for the defendant.” (Our emphasis) . The appellant sought a reversal solely on the ground that the evidence submitted to prove the absence of his contributory negligence raised an issue for the jury, under proper instruction by the court, and, therefore, the court erred in directing the verdict for appellee. In considering the matter the court made the following statement appropriate for our present consideration :

“The fact that the trial court apparently based its instruction on the ground that the evidence was not sufficient to prove that appellant, . . . had exercised the care and precaution which the law exacts, is not available; for if, upon any view of all the evidence, we could sustain the action of the court, toe would he compelled to do so and affirm the judgment.” (Our emphasis).

In the case just noted, the trial court, itself, singled out a particular reason or “theory” as the basis of its action in directing the verdict, yet, the Supreme Court held that it was necessary to have all the evidence before it because the action of the court would have to be affirmed if “upon any view” of the whole evidence its action could be sustained.

[536]*536[535]*535We refer to Dillman v. Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railway Company (1909), 44 Ind. App. 665, 90 N. E. 22, being an action by appellant for damages, wherein appellee sucessfully moved for a directéd ver[536]*536diet. Appellant’s motion for a new trial was upon the grounds (1) that the verdict was contrary to law; (2) that the verdict was not sustained by sufficient evidence; and (3) that the court erred in instructing the jury to return a verdict for the defendant. There, as here, the evidence was not brought into the record. The court said: “The first two grounds ((1) and (2) above) . . . are in the terms.used by the legislature to designate cases in which it is necessary for the record on appeal to contain all the evidence given in the cause. The further ground, that the court erred in giving the peremptory instruction, is no more than a different form of statement of the same proposition, since the correctness of such action also depends upon a consideration of all the evidence.” (Our brackets and emphasis). See, also: Wolf Hotel Company v. Parker (1927), 87 Ind. App. 333, 340, 158 N. E. 294, transfer denied, wherein the court, on page 340, said: “If the decision of the court or the verdict of the jury is called in question as being contrary to law . . . or if the giving of an instruction directing a verdict is challenged, all of the evidence must be set out in the bill of exceptions.” (Our emphasis).

Appellant joined in appellee’s motion for a directed verdict, thereby clothing the court with the functions of the jury. It was then proper for the court, there being no request by appellant for submission of the case to the jury, to render its decision on the issues presented.

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Combs and Broderick, D/B/A v. Keller
142 N.E.2d 474 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1957)

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Bluebook (online)
142 N.E.2d 474, 127 Ind. App. 531, 1957 Ind. App. LEXIS 159, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/combs-and-broderick-dba-v-keller-indctapp-1957.