Nationwide Mutual Insurance v. Ballard

182 N.E.2d 36, 89 Ohio Law. Abs. 168, 19 Ohio Op. 2d 435, 1961 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 253
CourtClinton County Court of Common Pleas
DecidedJune 30, 1961
DocketNo. 18861
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 182 N.E.2d 36 (Nationwide Mutual Insurance v. Ballard) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Clinton County Court of Common Pleas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Nationwide Mutual Insurance v. Ballard, 182 N.E.2d 36, 89 Ohio Law. Abs. 168, 19 Ohio Op. 2d 435, 1961 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 253 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1961).

Opinion

SwAisr, J.

This case is now before the Court on Motion of Plaintiffs, filed June 13, 1961, for “the Court to vacate and set aside the judgment entered herein on the 31st day of May, 1961, and grant to these applicants a new trial for the following causes,” enumerating six different grounds.

The particular statutes involved in this Motion are:

Section 2321.17, Revised Code. New Trial Defined; Causes for Granting New Trial. A new trial is a re-examination, in Ihc same court, of the issues after a final order, judgment or decree of the court. A final order, judgment or decree shall bo vacated and a new trial granted by the trial court on the application of the party aggrieved, for any of the following causes affecting materially his substantial rights: (Here eight types of causes are enumerated)---- When a new trial is granted, the court shall specify in writing the causes for which such new tidal is granted.

Section 2321.19, Revised Code. Application for New Trial. '’Idle application for a new trial must bo made within ten days after the journal entry of a final order, judgment or decree has been approved by the trial court in writing and filed with the dork of the court for journalization, except for the cause of newly discovered evidence, material for the party applying, which he could not with reasonable diligence discover and produce at the trial. If a party was unavoidably prevented from filing an application for a new trial within such time, the court may in the interest of justice extend the time. (This section was formerly Section 11578, General Code.)

Plaintiffs sued for money damages for alleged damage to auto belonging to Plaintiff, Harry L. Smith, the insurance company paying under its $50.00 deductible insurance policy issued to him, and being subrogated to all but $50.00 of the total damage claimed herein; plaintiffs alleged that the property dam[170]*170age was caused by- acts of the defendant. The defendant filed a general denial,, and by cross-petition against Harry 'L. Smith alone claimed $300.00 for alleged property damage to bis auto, claiming the damage was caused by the plaintiff, Harry L. Smith. The plaintiffs filed a reply, of general denial, to the cross-petition.

The case was tried-on Tuesday, May 9, 1961, to a jury, which returned a verdict, signed by all twelve jurors, finding against the plaintiffs on their claim against the defendant, and finding in favor of the defendant and cross-petitioner, Virgil Ballard, that there was due “to the Defendant and Cross-Petitioner, Virgil Ballard, from the Plaintiff, Harry L. Smith, the sum of Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00).”

Among-the Buies of this Court, is one adopted January 9, 1956, Journal 101, page 205, as to the hearings upon Motions and Demurrers, as follows:

“It is hereby adopted as a rule of this Court that upon the filing of any motion or demurrer, the same shall be assigned for disposition at 9:30 A. M. on the third Wednesday following said filing, as a matter submitted to the court without oral argument, unless the party filing said motion or demurrer shall in writing filed with the same, request oral argument or unless the opposite party shall in writing filed prior to said time fixed for disposition, request oral argument.----
“The assignment commissioner shall lay before the judge of this court all motions and demurrers at the time at which they are assigned submission or hearing.”

On the said date of Tuesday, May 9, 1961, a Journal Entry was filed with the Clerk of Courts, as to the -trial, the appearance of counsel and parties, the selection and seating- of the jury, the statements of counsel, presentation of evidence, the arguments of counsel, the charge of the Court, and a complete copy of the verdict of the Jury. This entry did not contain any judgment entry on the verdict

The statute as to the entry of judgment on verdicts is as follows:

“Section 2323.15, Bevised Code: Journal entry of Judgment Approved by Court. When a trial by jury has been had and a verdict rendered, unless the court orders the case reserved [171]*171for future argument or consideration, a journal entry of judgment in conformity to the verdict shall be approved by the court in writing and filed with the clerk for journalization.”

Before the Judgment Entry, upon the verdict in favor of flu; Defendant and Cross-Petitioner, had been prepared and “approved by the court in writing and filed with the clerk for journalizations,” counsel for the plaintiffs, on May 10, 1961 (Wednesday), filed a Motion for a New Trial asking “the Court to vacate and set aside the judgment entered herein on the 9th day of May, 1961, and grant to these applicants a new trial for the following causes,” enumerating six grounds. At-the same time, on said May 10, 3961, counsel for plaintiffs also filed a Motion for “the Court to vacate the judgment entered herein on the 9th day of May, 1961, in conformity to the verdict of the jury, and to render judgment in favor of these applicants notwithstanding the verdict, for the reason that these applicants are entitled by law to judgment in their favor upon the evidence received at the trial.”

The statutes as to Motions for New Trial have already been quoted, and the two sections relating to Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict and a Motion for the same are as follows:

“Section 2323.18, Revised Code: Judgment May be Rendered Against Verdict. When, upon the statements in the pleadings or upon the evidence received upon the trial, or both, one party is entitled by law to judgment in his favor, upon motion ol* such party, filed as provided in Section 2323.181, Revised Code, judgment shall be so rendered by the court although the jury may have failed to reach a verdict or a verdict has been rendered against such party and a judgment entered thereon, and whether or not a motion to direct a verdict has been made or overruled,----When a judgment has been entered upon-a verdict, and thereafter a judgment is entered contrary to the verdict under the provisions of this section, the judgment previously entered upon the verdict shall be thereby vacated and set aside. This section applies to any action or proceeding pending in the court on the effective date of this section.” (125 Ohio Laws, 668, effective October 27,1953.)
‘ ‘ Section 2323.181, Revised Code. Motion, When Filed. The motion provided for in Section 2323.18, Revised Code (ex[172]*172cept a motion for judgment on the pleadings alone, which shall be made or filed before or during the trial and before the return of a verdict), shall be filed within ten days after the failure of the jury to reach a verdict and its discharge---or within ten days after the journal entry of judgment in conformity to the verdict shall have been approved by the court in writing and filed with the clerk for journalization. Such motion may bo filed before or after, or simultaneously with the filing of a motion for new trial; and if both of such motions are filed, whether by the same party or by different parties, the motion for judgment provided for in Section 2323.18, Revised Code, shall be first decided by the court. ---This section applies to any action or proceeding pending in the courts on the effective date of this section.” (125 Ohio Laws, 668, effective October 27, 3953.) -

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
182 N.E.2d 36, 89 Ohio Law. Abs. 168, 19 Ohio Op. 2d 435, 1961 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 253, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/nationwide-mutual-insurance-v-ballard-ohctcomplclinto-1961.