Howie v. Bratrud

86 N.W. 747, 14 S.D. 648, 1901 S.D. LEXIS 72
South Dakota Supreme Court·Decided June 12, 1901·Published·Cited by 13 cases

Opinion

Corson, J.

The plaintiff commenced this action in a justice’s court to recover the sum of $ioo, claimed to be due him as commission for negotiating a sale of real estate described in the complaint. The action was tried in the justice’s court, and appealed to the circuit court, where it was again tried, and verdict and judgment rendered for the plaintiff, and the defendant appeals.

The complaint in substance alleges that a contract was entered into on June 13, 1899, between the plaintiff and the defendant to the effect that, -if the plaintiff should find a purchaser for the said lands on the terms therein stated, he was to .receive $100; that [649] plaintiff did, on or about July 18, 1899, find a purchaser on such terms, and that the defendant has not paid the $100, or any part thereof. The answer denied generally and specifiically all of the allegations of the complaint.

It is contended on the part of the appellant that the court erred in overruling the motion made by the defendant at the close offihe plaintiff’s testimony, and renewed at the close of all the evidence, to direct a verdict in favor of the defendant. The respondent insists that the court ruled correctly in denying the motion, for the reason that the appellant did not specify in the motion the alleged errors on which he now relies for a reversal, nor specify the. particular grounds for the motion. We are of the opinion that the respondent is right in this contention. At the close of the plaintiff’s testimony the defendant moved the court to direct a verdict in favor of the defendant and against the plaintiff, “for the reason that the evidence is insufficient to show or constitute a cause of action.” The motion in the same form was renewed at the close of all the evidence. This court has repeatedly held that such a motion is insufficient, in that it fails to point out specifically the grounds upon which the party making the motion relies. In Tanderup v. Hansen, 8 S. D. 375, 66 N. W. 1073, this court used the following language: “Whatever merit there might have been in this point had it been stated in the motion to direct a verdict in the court below, it is not available in this court, for the reason that no such ground was .stated in the motion in the trial court. Where such a motion is made, the specific ground upon which the motion is made must be stated. It is due to the court and the opposing counsel that their attention should be called to the precise defect in the evidence or the omission of evidence that the party claims entitles him to the direction of the verdict. It is due to the [650] court to enable it to pass understandingly upon the motion, and it is due to counsel that he may, if possible, supply the defect or omitted evidence, if permitted to do so by the court.” Longley v. Daly, 1 S. D. 257, 46 N. W. 247; Wagon Co. v. Matthiessen, 3 Dak. 233, 14 N. W. 107; Peet v. Insurance Co., 1 S. D. 462, 47 N. W. 532; Haugen v. Railway Co., 3 S. D. 394, 53 N. W. 769; Alt. v. Railway Co., 5 S. D. 20, 57 N. W. 1126; Irrigation Co. v. Hawley, 7 S. D. 229, 63 N. W. 904.

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Howie v. Bratrud, 86 N.W. 747, 14 S.D. 648, 1901 S.D. LEXIS 72 (S.D. 1901).

86 N.W. 747 (Howie v. Bratrud) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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