T. L. Edge v. North State Feldspar Corp.

Supreme Court of North Carolina
T. L. Edge v. North State Feldspar Corp., 193 S.E. 2 (N.C. 1937)
212 N.C. 246; 1937 N.C. LEXIS 285
Stacy

T. L. Edge v. North State Feldspar Corp.

Opinion of the Court

Stacy, C. J.

The verdict is uncertain or ambiguous. Wood v. Jones, 198 N. C., 356, 151 S. E., 732. It is in the alternative. Pearce v. Fisher, 133 N. C., 333, 45 S. E., 638. Its inconclusiveness necessitates another hearing. Plotkin v. Bond Co., 200 N. C., 590, 157 S. E., 870; Bank v. Broom Co., 188 N. C., 508, 125 S. E., 12; Holler v. Tel. Co., 149 N. C., 336, 63 S. E., 92. “A verdict finding matter uncertainly or ambiguously, is insufficient, and no judgment shall be given thereon.” Coke on Littleton, 227, quoted with approval in Crews v. Crews, 64 N. C., 536. “It is misleading to embody in one issue two propositions as to which the jury might give different responses.” Emery v. R. R., 102 N. C., 209, 9 S. E., 139; Carey v. Carey, 108 N. C., 267, 12 S. E., 1038; Mfg. Co. v. Assur. Co., 106 N. C., 28, 10 S. E., 1057; DeHart v. Jenkins, 211 N. C., 314, 190 S. E., 218.

A verdict, whether upon one or many issues, should be certain and determinative of the controversy. Plotkin v. Bond Co., supra; Chapman-Hunt Co. v. Board of Education, 198 N. C., 111, 150 S. E., 713; Bank v. Broom Co., supra; McAdoo v. R. R., 105 N. C., 140, 11 S. E., 316; Emery v. R. R., supra.

Here, the alternative verdict éstablishes neither proposition with certainty or definiteness, as the evidence of mutual mistake, if any, is very slight, and the sufficiency of the allegation of fraud is quite doubtful, if not deficient. Pearce v. Fisher, supra.

*248 Nor is the verdict capable of interpretation so as to support the judgment quod recuperet, by proper reference to the pleadings, the evidence, the admissions of the parties, and the charge of the court. Newbern v. Gordon, 201 N.C., 817, 160 S. E., 182; Short v. Kaltman, 192 N. C., 154, 134 S. E., 425; Kannan v. Assad, 182 N. C., 77, 108 S. E., 383. The rights of the parties have not been sufficiently determined.

New trial.

Reference

Full Case Name
T. L. EDGE Et Al. v. NORTH STATE FELDSPAR CORPORATION
Cited By
10 cases
Status
Published