Reed v. Allen

522 S.W.2d 339, 1974 Tenn. App. LEXIS 141
CourtCourt of Appeals of Tennessee
DecidedJune 28, 1974
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 522 S.W.2d 339 (Reed v. Allen) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Reed v. Allen, 522 S.W.2d 339, 1974 Tenn. App. LEXIS 141 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1974).

Opinion

OPINION

TODD, Judge.

The plaintiff, Lois S. Reed, has appealed from a jury verdict and judgment dismissing her suit against the defendant, Gordon R. Allen for personal injuries and property damages sustained in an automobile collision.

The collision in question occurred on October 18, 1970, at approximately 12:30 PM on Lylewood Road in Montgomery County, Tennessee. Plaintiff was driving her vehicle in a northerly direction, and defendant was driving his vehicle in a southerly direction. As the vehicles met, there was a collision. Each party testified that the other was “across the center on his left side of the road.”

The assignments of error refer to the testimony of two witnesses who did not see the collision, but who saw a vehicle similar to that of plaintiff a short distance from the collision and testified as to the manner of movement of said vehicle at the time and place where they saw it.

Plaintiff objects to the testimony of said two witnesses on two grounds, (a) failure of defendant to disclose the identity of such witnesses when asked in a discovery deposition, and (b) irrelevancy of the facts related by said witnesses.

The alleged discovery deposition is not a part of the record. At the bar of this Court, counsel stated that the defendant had been interrogated for discovery, but that the transcription of the interrogation was never filed with the Clerk of the Trial Court as required by Rule 30.06 of the Rules of Civil Procedure. Therefore, the contents of said discovery deposition are unavailable to this Court except as shown otherwise in the evidence.

During the cross examination the defendant testified that:

' (a) He had given a discovery deposition.
(b) At the time of the deposition, defendant knew that Mr. Gibbs, who was not present at the collision, had information which he was called upon to relate at the trial.
(c) On discovery defendant was asked “some questions: about “who you were [341]*341going to use, or anticipated using as witnesses.”
(d) On discovery, defendant said nothing about anticipating using any witnesses except the occupants of his vehicle.

The mere showing that “some questions” were asked about the identity of anticipated witnesses to be called to the stand, not specifying the nature and content of the questions, did not necessarily burden defendant with a disclosure that Mr. Gibbs, or others might be called as witnesses.

Moreover, Rule 26.02, R.C.P. is not understood to require the disclosure of trial plans in respect to identity of persons who will be called as witnesses. Said rule requires only disclosure of “the identity and location of persons having knowledge of relevant facts.”

Inquiries related to “witnesses to the accident,” had the reasonable meaning of “persons who observed the accident.” As stated, the witnesses, Leonard Gibbs and Sherrie Lewis, were not present at the time of the accident, but observed events at another time and place.

The record does not disclose any motion for mistrial, recess, continuance or other relief, except the objection to the admission of the testimony. It would appear that an opportunity to investigate, interrogate or otherwise respond to surprise testimony would ordinarily contribute more to the information available and the justice of the result than, as insisted by plaintiff, the exclusion of evidence and consequent denial of information to the jury.

It is insisted that decisions under the former deposition law allow discovery of identity of witnesses. In MacDonnell v. Blankenship, 57 Tenn.App. 224, 417 S.W.2d 713 (1967), the plaintiff denied knowledge of “anyone who actually saw this accident happen,” and the Trial Judge ordered the plaintiff to obtain from her attorney and respond on further discovery with the names of any such “witnesses” known to counsel. This Court affirmed. In said case, it was obvious that the word “witnesses” referred to “anyone who actually saw this accident happen,” rather than to “any person you plan to call as a witness in court.”

In State ex rel Pack v. West Tennessee Distributing Co., 58 Tenn.App. 306, 430 S.W.2d 355 (1968), cited by appellant, this Court denied discovery of written appraisal reports from the files of counsel, where no sufficient need for same was shown. No question of discovery of names of prospective witnesses was involved. Likewise, Medic Ambulance Service Inc. v. McAdams, 216 Tenn. 304, 392 S.W.2d 103 (1965) and Southeastern Fleet Leasing, Inc. v. Gentry, 57 Tenn.App. 162, 416 S.W.2d 773 (1967) deal with the discovery of documents, rather than identity of witnesses.

Appellant further insists that, under the general rule, trial courts have discretion to exclude testimony of witnesses whose identity has not been disclosed on discovery. No Tennessee decisions are cited in support of this contention. Authorities cited from other jurisdictions do appear to support the discretionary power of trial courts to exclude testimony of witnesses offered by a party who failed to disclose such witnesses on discovery. However, said authorities appear to rest in part upon rules of civil procedure peculiar to the jurisdiction. Each recites the discretionary nature of the ruling, and the importance of the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case.

For example, in Mengel Properties v. City of Louisville, Ky., 400 S.W.2d 690 (1965), the Court held that whether a witness whose name has not been furnished may testify is a question for the sound discretion of the Trial Judge. In said case, the Trial Judge admitted the testimony and his action was held not to be an abuse of discretion.

[342]*342In Carver v. Salt River Valley Water Users Assn., 8 Ariz.App. 386, 446 P.2d 492 (1968) the exclusion of testimony was held not to be an abuse of discretion under the “20 day pre-trial discovery deadline” of Arizona Rules; however, the Court said:

“[1-3] Our Rules of Civil Procedure are designed to promote decisions on the merits after a full and fair hearing, and the sanction of exclusion of a witness should never be lightly invoked. . Many variable circumstances determine whether a sanction is appropriate and if so, what sanction should be imposed. The precise nature of the interrogatories and discovery posture of the case, willfulness and the degree of prejudice are some of the important factors. There are cases holding that under some circumstances, exclusion . is inappropriate . and other cases holding exclusion justified . . . The decision is very largely a matter within the sound discretion of the trial court. (Citing Authorities)

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
522 S.W.2d 339, 1974 Tenn. App. LEXIS 141, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/reed-v-allen-tennctapp-1974.