Shields v. Martin

706 P.2d 21, 109 Idaho 132, 1985 Ida. LEXIS 453
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedApril 10, 1985
Docket15125
StatusPublished
Cited by27 cases

This text of 706 P.2d 21 (Shields v. Martin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Shields v. Martin, 706 P.2d 21, 109 Idaho 132, 1985 Ida. LEXIS 453 (Idaho 1985).

Opinions

BISTLINE, Justice.

The marriage of Stephen Shields, a plaintiff herein, and Laurie Halsey terminated in a divorce decree which awarded Halsey custody of one-year-old Christopher, a second plaintiff herein. A few years later the court placed custody in Shields, and the incident which gave rise to this lawsuit arose while Shields had custody of Christopher.

Shields and Christopher were living in Boise where Christopher attended a daycare center when Shields was at his work. The incident is simply stated. Halsey came to Boise where she enlisted the aid of Boise Police Officer Martin. The two of them, co-defendants herein, went to the daycare center where, making use of a copy of the superseded, four-year-old custody decree which had placed custody of Christopher in [134]*134Halsey, they obtained Christopher and took him from the daycare center. Immediately after the abduction, Halsey absconded, taking Christopher with her.

There was evidence introduced at trial, which the jury was at liberty to believe, and did believe, that Martin advised the daycare center operator that the document was valid and binding and that Christopher should be relinquished. Martin also told the daycare operator that she could not call Shields before the delivery of the child to Halsey.

Later, when notified that Christopher had been abducted, Shields contacted Martin, told him the true facts as to custody, and requested help in finding Christopher. Martin flatly refused and would not furnish any information. Shields eventually found and recovered Christopher and subsequently initiated this action to recover damages for himself and for Christopher.

The complaint of Shields and Christopher alleged the joint and several liability of Martin and Halsey for the wrongful abduction of Christopher and sought recovery of damages allegedly incurred by both plaintiffs. Halsey, after filing an answer, did not appear at trial either in person or by counsel. Martin appeared at trial and was represented by counsel.

At the instructions conference, over plaintiffs’ objection, the district court refused to give plaintiffs’ requested jury instruction No. II instructing the jury on joint and several liability:

YOU ARE INSTRUCTED THAT where two or more persons unite in an act which constitutes a wrong to another, intending at the time to commit it, or performing it under circumstances which fairly charge them with intending the consequences which follow, they incur a joint and several liability for the acts of each and all of the joint participants. The law does not require the injured party to establish how much of the injury was done by one person and how much of the injury was done by another. Rather, it permits the injured party to treat all concerned in the injury jointly and all are liable to respond to the plaintiff in a total sum as damages. All those who actively participate in a wrongful act, by cooperation or request, or who lend aid or encouragement to the wrongdoer, or ratify and adopt his acts for their benefit, are equally liable with him. Express agreement is not necessary, and all that is required is that there should be a common design or understanding, even though it be a tacit one.

The court refused the instruction in favor of two special verdict forms, which treated the tortious conduct of the two defendants as being two separate and distinct tortious causes of actions:

[135]*135Special Verdict Form No. 1

We. the jury, answer the questions submitted to us in Special Verdict Form No. 1 as follows:
QUESTION NO. I: Did Defendant .lames Martin violate Plaintiff Stephen Shields' Federal Constitutional rights?
ANSWER: YES 10 NO 2
If you answered the above question “Yes." then please answer Question No. 2. If you answered the above question “No." then omit Questions 2, 3 and 4, arid proceed to Question 5.
QUESTION NO, 2: Was Defendant .James Martin’s conduct the proximate cause of the damages. if any, alleged by Stephen Shields?
ANSWER: YES 12 NO 0
If you answered the above question "Yes." then please answer Question No. 3. If you answered the above question “No." then omit Questions 3 and 4. and proceed to Question 5.
QUESTION NO. 3: Were Defendant James Martin’s actions performed in good faith?
ANSWER- YES 2 NO II)
If you answered the above question “No." then please answer Question No. 4. If-you anwered the above question “Yes." then omit Question 4, and proceed to Question 5.
QUESTION NO. 4: What is the total amount of damages sustained by Plaintiff Stephen Shields as a result of Officer Martin's violation of Plaintiff’s Constitutional rights?
ANSWER: $ 1.B5K.5H
QUESTION NO. 5: Did Defendant James Martin violate Plaintiff Christopher Shields’ Federal Constitutional rights?
ANSWER: YES 10 NO 2
If you answered the above question “Yes," then please answer Question No. (5. If you answered the above question “No," then omit Questions 6, 7 and 8, and simply sign the Verdict Form and proceed to Special Verdict Form No. 2.
QUESTION NO. 6: Was Defendant James Martin’s conduct the proximate cause of the damages, if any, alleged by Christopher Shields?
ANSWER: YES 10 NO 2
If you answered the above question “Yes," then please answer Question No. 7. If you answered the above question "No,’’ then omit Questions 7 and 8, and simply sign the Verdict Form and proceed to Special Verdict Form No. 2.
QUESTION NO. 7: Were Defendant James Martin’s actions performed in good faith?
ANSWER: YES 2 NO 10
If you answered the above question "No," then please answer Question No. S. If you anwered the above question "Yes.” then omit Question S. and simply sign the Verdict Form and proceed to Special Verdict Form No. 2.
QUESTION NO. S. What is the total amount of damages sustained by Plaintiff Christopher Shields as a result of Officer Martin’s violation of Plaintiff’s Constitutional rights?
ANSWER: $ 10.00

Special Verdict Form No. 2

We. the jury, answer the questions submitted to us in Special Verdict Form No. 2 as follows:
QUESTION NO. 1: Was Christopher Shields falsely imprisoned by defendant Lauri Halsey?
ANSWER - YES 12 NO 0
QUESTION NO. 2: What is the total amount of damages sustained b\ Plaintiff Christopher Shields?
ANSWER: $ 3,00»
QUESTION NO. 3: Is Defendant Lauri Halsey Hable for the intentional infliction of emotional distress?
ANSWER YES 12 NO 0
If you answered “No" to Question No. 3, jilease omit Question No. 4 and simply sign the Verdict Form. If you answered Yes to Question No. 3. jilease answer Question No 4. and then sign the Verdict Form.
QUESTION NO. 4: What is the total amount of damages sustained by plaintiff’

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Bluebook (online)
706 P.2d 21, 109 Idaho 132, 1985 Ida. LEXIS 453, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/shields-v-martin-idaho-1985.