Jones v. Wiese

652 So. 2d 175, 1995 Miss. LEXIS 147, 1995 WL 109581
CourtMississippi Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 16, 1995
DocketNo. 91-CA-00618-SCT
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 652 So. 2d 175 (Jones v. Wiese) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Mississippi Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jones v. Wiese, 652 So. 2d 175, 1995 Miss. LEXIS 147, 1995 WL 109581 (Mich. 1995).

Opinion

PITTMAN, Justice,

for the Court:

STATEMENT OF CASE

On August 18, 1989, Linda Jones, while operating an automobile in Columbus, Mississippi, was stopped in an attempt to make a left turn at an intersection and was rear-ended by the automobile driven by Dane A. Wiese. Thereafter, Jones filed suit for personal injuries.

At the conclusion of the trial, the judge peremptorily instructed the jury that Wiese was negligent leaving only the question of damages for jury resolution. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, awarding her damages in the sum of $7,500 for personal injury. Aggrieved, Jones perfected this appeal and raises the following four issues:

I. THE CIRCUIT COURT ERRED IN ORDERING THE PLAINTIFF TO PAY DEFENDANT’S ATTORNEY THE SUM OF $250.00 FOR ATTENDING DEPOSITION FOR TRIAL OF DR. JOHN W. MCFADDEN.

[176]*176 II. THE CIRCUIT COURT ERRED IN ALLOWING THE DEFENDANT’S ATTORNEY TO QUESTION PLAINTIFF ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY ($25,000.00) RECEIVED FROM THE SETTLEMENT OF AN UNRELATED PRIOR AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT RESULTING IN PREJUDICING THE JURY.

III. THE CIRCUIT COURT ERRED IN GIVING JURY INSTRUCTION D-4 WHICH USED THE WORD “POSSIBILITY” IN A MANNER IN WHICH WAS A COMMENT UPON THE WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE.

IV. THE CIRCUIT COURT ERRED IN FAILING TO GRANT PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR ADDITUR, OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE, MOTION FOR NEW TRIAL ON THE ISSUE OF DAMAGES. THAT THE VERDICT OF THE JURY WAS THE RESULT OF CONFUSION, PREJUDICE, BIAS OR PASSION AND IS A COMPLETE DISREGARD OF THE DAMAGE INSTRUCTION OF THE COURT AND APPLICABLE LAW, AND THE UNCONTRADICTED TESTIMONY PRESENTED AT THE TRIAL SHOWED THE EXTENT OF THE MEDICAL DAMAGES AND BILLS INCURRED BY THE PLAINTIFF AS A PROXIMATE RESULT OF THE AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT THAT NEARLY EXCEED THE VERDICT.

We find these assigned errors to be meritorious. We conclude that the circuit court erred in imposing sanctions for the attendance of defense counsel at a deposition where the record does not reveal there was a violation of any discovery rule. Additionally, we find that the trial court erroneously admitted testimony regarding other settlement offers received by Jones. Such evidence was “substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice” and was error. Miss.R.Evid. 403. Finally, we reverse this case because the trial court improperly granted an instruction containing the word “possibility” which was an erroneous statement of the law, and this error was not cured by a reading of all instructions together. Griffin v. Fletcher, 362 So .2d 594, 596 (Miss.1978).

Because of our decision to reverse and remand for a new trial, our consideration of Issue IV is rendered moot. We, however, review Issues I, II and III.

I. THE CIRCUIT COURT ERRED IN ORDERING THE PLAINTIFF TO PAY DEFENDANT’S ATTORNEY THE SUM OF $250.00 FOR ATTENDING DEPOSITION FOR TRIAL OF DR. JOHN W. MCFADDEN.

On November 14, 1990, the court below entered an order setting this case for pre-trial conference on December 7, 1990.1 On November 29, 1990, Jones notified Wiese that a deposition of Dr. John McFadden was scheduled for December 5, 1990 for purposes of obtaining trial testimony. In response, Wiese filed a motion for protective order. Because Jones requested the setting of the Pre-Trial Conference, Wiese complained that this necessarily implied that discovery in the case was complete. Upon Wiese’s motion, the circuit court ordered Jones to pay the Defendant’s attorney the sum of $250.00 for the attorney’s appearance at the deposition. The circuit court further allowed Wiese thirty extra days to complete any additional discovery.

' On appeal, Jones contends that the trial court erred in imposing the sanctions against Jones and in support relies upon Miss. R.Civ.P. 32(a)(3) stating:

The deposition of a witness, whether or not a party, may be used by any party for any purpose if the court finds: (A) that the witness is dead; or (B) that the witness is at a greater distance than one hundred miles from the place of trial or hearing, or is out of the state, unless- it appears that the absence of the witness was procured by the party offering the deposition; or (C) that the witness is unable to attend or testify because of age, illness, infirmity, or imprisonment; or (D) that the party offering the deposition has been unable to procure the attendance of the witness by sub[177]*177poena; or (E) that the witness is a medical doctor or (F) upon application and notice, that such exceptional circumstances exist as to make it desirable, in the interest of justice and with due regard to the importance of presenting the testimony of witnesses orally in open court, to allow the deposition to be so used.

In rebuttal, Wiese relies on Miss.R.Civ.P. 26(d)(9) as authorizing the court to make such an order when required “to protect the party or witness from ... undue burden or expense, including provision for payment of expenses attendant upon such deposition or other discovery device by the party seeking-same.”

Premised on what defense counsel viewed as a violation of pre-trial procedure, the trial court sanctioned Jones for the “late” taking of a medical doctor’s deposition for trial purposes. Apparently, the trial judge considered Miss.R.Civ.P. 37 and/or Miss.R.Civ.P. 26(d)(9) as authorizing the imposition of sanctions against Jones.2 We find that the trial court erroneously applied Rules 37 and 26(d)(9). Both rules deal with discovery violations where the party has failed to make or cooperate in discovery or where the party seeks to protect itself -from annoyance, undue burden or expense. The expense to the defense apparently included $250.00 in attorney fees; the date set for trial was also delayed; and Wiese was given additional time for discovery in order to prepare. The pre-trial order itself made no reference to a deposition cut-off date. Additionally, we note that Dr. McFadden was listed as an expert witness for trial by the defendant, Wiese.

It cannot be said from the facts in this case that Wiese was unduly burdened. Nor do we find that Jones violated any discovery rules whereby discovery sanctions would be applicable. The court was without authority on these facts to impose sanctions; and therefore, the trial court abused its discretion. See Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co. v. Evans, 553 So.2d 1117, 1119 (Miss.1989). With no violation of discovery rules or pre-trial court order, we conclude that the circuit judge was without authority to impose sanctions, and we reverse and render as to Issue I.

II. THE CIRCUIT COURT ERRED IN ALLOWING THE DEFENDANT’S ATTORNEY TO QUESTION PLAINTIFF ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY ($25,000.00) RECEIVED FROM THE SETTLEMENT OF AN UNRELATED PRIOR AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT RESULTING IN PREJUDICING THE JURY.

The accident in question occurred on August 18, 1989. Plaintiff Jones had been in a prior accident in Birmingham, Alabama, on October 21, 1988. During cross-examination of Jones, defense counsel for Wiese was allowed, over objection, to introduce into evidence the amount of money received by Jones in a settlement of a collateral claim. The following colloquy between Jones and defense counsel occurred as follows:

Q Thank you. And, Mrs.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
652 So. 2d 175, 1995 Miss. LEXIS 147, 1995 WL 109581, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jones-v-wiese-miss-1995.