Weeks Ex Rel. Weeks v. Barnard
This text of 143 S.E.2d 809 (Weeks Ex Rel. Weeks v. Barnard) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.
Opinion
Between the ages of 7 and 14, a minor is presumed to be incapable of contributory negligence. Ennis v. Dupree, 258 N.C. 141, 128 S.E. 2d 231; Phillips v. R. R., 257 N.C. 239, 125 S.E. 2d 603. This presumption, however, may be overcome by evidence that the child did not use the care which a child of its age, capacity, discretion, knowledge, and experience would ordinarily have exercised under the same or similar circumstances. Walston v. Greene, 247 N.C. 693, 102 S.E. 2d 124; Caudle v. R. R., 202 N.C. 404, 163 S.E. 122. A child “must exercise care and prudence equal to his capacity.” Tart v. R. R., 202 N.C. 52, 55, 161 S.E. 720, 721; see also Hughes v. Thayer, 229 N.C. 773, 51 S.E. 2d 488; Annot., 107 A.L.R. 4, 40, 94. If it fails to exercise such care and the failure is one of the proximate causes of the injuries in suit, the child cannot recover. Morris v. Sprott, 207 N.C. 358, 177 S.E. 13; Tart v. R. R., supra; Foard v. Power Co., 170 N.C. 48, 86 S.E. 804, and cases therein cited.
The trial judge fully explained these and all other applicable principles of law to the jury. After carefully considering his charge as a whole we find no reasonable cause to believe that the jury was misinformed or misled by it. A new trial is not warranted.
No error.
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143 S.E.2d 809, 265 N.C. 339, 1965 N.C. LEXIS 981, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/weeks-ex-rel-weeks-v-barnard-nc-1965.