Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Co. v. Brackin
Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Co. v. Brackin
070rehearing
In the motion for rehearing counsel for the defendant in error insist that the ruling made in division 2 of the opinion is in conflict with the decision of this court in Phillips v. Southern Ry. Co., 112 Ga. 197 (37 S. E. 418). With this contention we do not agree. Counsel have evidently overlooked' the material difference in the assignments of error in the two cases. In the Phillips case, the exception to the direction of a verdict for the defendant was in the following language: “plaintiff excepted to said ruling of the court, and now excepts and assigns the same as error.” This court there held that, under such an assignment, the only question raised was whether the evidence demanded the verdict directed, and that the question of whether the plaintiff was entitled to recover “as matter of law” was not involved, and “therefore this question is neither considered nor discussed by this court.” In the instant case, the motion for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict alleged that the verdict and judgment in favor of the plaintiff were “contrary to law, contrary to the evidence, and without any evidence to support them.” To the judgment denying this motion the defendant excepts and assigns error thereon “as being contrary to law,” thus raising the question as to whether the plaintiff was, as a matter of law, entitled to recover.
Motion for rehearing denied.
Opinion of the Court
This case comes to this court on certiorari
1. Since the question here presented is one dealing with the Rules of Practice and Procedure of frequent application, it presents a question of gravity and importance, and the motion to dismiss the application for certiorari is denied.
2. The motion for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict recites that, at the conclusion of the introduction of all evidence in said case, the defendant, through its counsel, moved for a directed verdict in its behalf, which motion was denied, and that, after a verdict was rendered by the jury in favor of the plaintiff and a judgment entered thereon, “The defendant now moves the court for judgment in its behalf (in accordance with its motion for a directed verdict hereinbefore referred to) notwithstanding the previous verdict of the jury and judgment of the court, and as grounds thereof alleges that the verdict and judgment against it as hereinbefore referred to are contrary to law, contrary to the evidence and without any evidence to support them.” The Court of Appeals properly held that, since the demurrers were not renewed to the petition as amended, and no new demurrer was interposed thereto after material amendment, the petition would be treated as not demurred to, but erred in holding that, since the case was proved as laid by the plaintiff in his petition, the trial court did not err in denying the motion for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict. In Kelly v. Strouse, 116 Ga. 872, 901 (43 S. E. 280), the trial court ruled that, no demurrer having been filed, and the plaintiffs having proved their case as laid, they were entitled to a verdict, and so directed. That judgment was reversed, this court holding that, “Under any
3. We think that the Court of Appeals properly construed the plaintiff’s petition as being based upon “the attractive nuisance doctrine,” and so construed, it failed to state a cause of action, and the evidence, in support thereof failed to authorize a recovery by the plaintiff, even though he proved his case as laid. The plaintiff testified that, when he found the piece of wire, he “took it in the yard and started to play with it. I bent it, and I let go, and it came up and hit me in the eye,” inflicting the injury and damage sued for. The doctrine underlying the “attractive nuisance” or “turntable” cases ap
4. Applying the foregoing authorities to the instant case, the facts of which are stated in the opinion of the Court of Appeals (Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Co. v. Brackin, 99 Ga. App. 77, 107 S. E. 2d 864), that court erred in affirming the judgment of the trial court denying the motion for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict. Anything held in Washburn Storage Co. v. Elliott, 98 Ga. App. 81 (104 S. E. 2d 697), contrary to what is here ruled is hereby disapproved.
Judgment reversed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- SOUTHERN BELL TELEPHONE & TELEGRAPH COMPANY v. BRACKIN, by Next Friend
- Cited By
- 27 cases
- Status
- Published