Mastran Construction Co. v. Mahoning Express Co.

96 N.E.2d 30, 58 Ohio Law. Abs. 196, 1950 Ohio App. LEXIS 918
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 16, 1950
DocketNo. 3294
StatusPublished

This text of 96 N.E.2d 30 (Mastran Construction Co. v. Mahoning Express Co.) 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
Mastran Construction Co. v. Mahoning Express Co., 96 N.E.2d 30, 58 Ohio Law. Abs. 196, 1950 Ohio App. LEXIS 918 (Ohio Ct. App. 1950).

Opinion

OPINION

By PHILLIPS, PJ.

The parties to this appeal, both Ohio corporations, who will be referred to in this opinion as they stood in the court of common pleas, executed a paper writing, dated “the — day of -,” whereby plaintiff leased lands and buildings, which buildings were approximately 35 years old, situated [197]*197in Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio, to defendant for the term beginning July 19, 1946, and ending October 18, 1947, which defendant used as an office and a warehouse.

In the first cause of action of its petition, filed in the •court of common pleas, plaintiff sought a money judgment against defendant for “the unlawful and malicious destruction” by removal of partitions, wiring, plaster, lighting fixtures, service pipes, and in other respects not necessary to recite; ■and repair of the leased premises, which costs of repair the plaintiff’s evidence discloses was $4602.73. In its second cause •of action plaintiff sought a money judgment for the rental for the admitted storage of concrete pipes for a period of about eleven months, on a parcel of land owned by defendant but not described in the lease.

Eleven members of the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff in the amount of $165.00, upon which the trial judge subsequently duly entered judgment. Plaintiff appealed to this court from that judgment on questions of law.

By assignments of error defendant contends that “the trial judge committed error in the admission of testimony over the objection of counsel for the plaintiff”; abused his “discretion in the rejection of testimony offered by plaintiff in rebuttal”; that “defendant’s counsel was guilty of misconduct in cross-examination of witness Donald Mastran”; that “the trial court failed to charge upon the issues involved, as required by law,” and committed error in his charge to the jury; and finally that “the verdict of the jury is contrary to law and against the weight of the evidence.”

Both parties introduced evidence in their attempts to support the allegations of their respective pleadings, not necessary to state here further in order to understand the questions presented for our consideration and determination by plaintiff’s assignments of error.

Saying to the jury “if this testimony is not connected up we will rule it out,” and after the discussion of such testimony “then I want it followed through in the manner indicated,” the trial judge permitted defendant to introduce testimony pertaining to negotiations between the parties prior to the execution of the lease involved in the case we review, and to conferences and statements made between various lawyers who were in the negotiation of a new lease, too lengthy to even attempt to detail here; and allegedly carried on “an ■entire discussion in the presence of the jury pertaining to the contents of” a letter, which was part of the evidence :he permitted to be introduced, which defendant claimed constituted prejudicial and reversible error.

We have read this record, and I have reread it with this [198]*198assigned ground of error in view, and the conclusion is reached' that the trial judge cannot be charged with reversible error in this respect.

In its case in chief plaintiff corporation called witness. Wilt, president and operating manager.of defendant corporation, for cross-examination, and inquired of him if he had received a letter dated April 17, 1947, which he admitted-receiving by registered mail. In that letter plaintiff called defendant’s attention to the fact that certain posts which had been damaged previously had been repaired and placed in the building in question after the execution of the lease. Also in that letter reference was made to damage to the-building during the term of the lease in litigation.

Witness Wilt, who had not testified in defendant’s case, was subsequently called by plaintiff upon rebuttal in an endeavor to offer in evidence the letter to which' reference is made. The trial judge said “it is in evidence.” Mr. Mock (counsel for plaintiff) remarked “no it is not.” Whereupon the trial judge replied “it doesn’t state causes. The plaintiff’s exhibit number 3 is rejected at this time.” Counsel claims that this conduct on the part of the trial judge constituted an abuse of discretion.

By brief counsel for the plaintiff states “counsel realizes control of rebuttal testimony is in the hands of the trial court.”'

We agree with that statement, and, as the result of thorough consideration of this assigned ground of error, we can not reach the conclusion at which counsel for the plaintiff asks us to arrive that the trial judge abused his discretion in rejecting this evidence in this case.

Counsel for plaintiff contend that counsel for defendant were guilty of misconduct in the cross-examination of the witness Donald Mastran, secretary of plaintiff corporation, by creating “a condition which was prejudicial to the rights of the plaintiff in that he persisted in asking questions on the theory that he was going to connect up and follow through this testimony by, I presume, the introducing of testimony as to what the lawyers said they had received by way of negotiation.” We presume counsel contends that the introduction of such evidence constituted prejudicial error and reversible error.

It is settled law that:—

“The common-law rule that confidential communications between client and attorney are privileged and protected from inquiry when the client is a witness as well as when the attorney is a witness is fully recognized in this state, [199]*199and a client cannot be compelled to disclose communications which his attorney is not permitted to disclose.” In re Martin, Jr. 141 Oh St 87.

It -has been held that:—

“When the record shows that an attorney persistently pursued a clearly improper course of interrogation over the objection of opposing counsel and the adverse rulings of the court, the conclusion is irresistible that his conduct was not due to an error of judgment, but to a determination to present the improper matters to the jury in spite of both court and opposing counsel. Such conduct should neither be tolerated nor excused by the trial court. No litigant should be permitted to profit by such a practice. Louisville & N. R. Co. v. Payne, 133 Ky. 539.” 109 A. L. R. 1089.

The record discloses that some of the questions to which counsel for plaintiff objected were sustained, and others overruled. As counsel for defendant suggests by brief, this phase of the examination was so lengthy “it would be useless to set out every question and answer in this brief,” which of course we will not attempt to do in this opinion.

Accordingly we must content ourselves by saying that as a result of a careful analysis of this phase of the evidence we conclude that neither the trial judge, nor counsel for the defendant, can be charged with error, nor misconduct; (since in our opinion the evidence does not warrant the application of the cases of In re Martin and Louisville & N. R. Co. v. Payne, supra, to which reference is made supra).

Counsel for plaintiff contend:—

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

Related

L. & N. R. R. Co. v. Payne
133 Ky. 539 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 1909)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
96 N.E.2d 30, 58 Ohio Law. Abs. 196, 1950 Ohio App. LEXIS 918, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mastran-construction-co-v-mahoning-express-co-ohioctapp-1950.