Hatchell v. Chandler
Hatchell v. Chandler
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
The complaint herein sets forth two causes of action — one for actual and the other for punitive *381 damages, for seizing and disposing of the plaintiff’s crops in an unlawful manner. The jury rendered a verdict in favor of the plaintiff for $250.
The second exception is as follows: “2d. His Honor erred in charging the jury: ‘It is contended by the plaintiff’s counsel in this case that the defendant here, Mr. Chandler, made Langston his agent to collect the rents from the sub-renters.’ Well, if he did, that is a matter of testimony. The error complained of is that there was no allegation of agency in the complaint; that the same was not responsive to the complaint and a charge upon the facts, or, at least, a repeating of the evidence while attributing it to the argument of plaintiff’s counsel.” While it may be true there was no allegation of agency in the complaint, it does not follow that such testimony was not properly introduced to explain the transactions between the parties. This Court regards the testimony as responsive to the issues, and in no respect rvas the charge upon the facts.
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The fifth exception is as follows : “5th. His Honor erred *383 in charging the jury: ‘And it is claimed there was wantonness and negligence in the second cause of action, where it is charged the crop was left in the .field and injured, so that they claim punitive damages. I said we are bound to use that ordinary care which an ordinary prudent man would use, and we are bound by that care, and if we don’t observe it, we are liable for damages.’ The error complained of is that he was discussing punitive damages, and by his charge held that punitive damages could be assessed upon ordinary neglect.” Immediately preceding the language used by his Honor as set out in the exception, he said: “There are two causes of action — the first cause in the complaint is actual damages, and the second cause of action in the complaint is punitive damages; it is claimed that there was not ordinary care in seizing and selling the crop, and, therefore, the plaintiff sues for actual damages.” It will thus be seen that the construction placed upon the charge by the appellant is untenable.
The sixth exceptioñ is as follows: “6th. That his Honor erred in charging defendant’s first request with a condition. The request was: ‘That if the jury believed from the evidence that the defendant used ordinary care and made no unnecessary delay in gathering the crop, then an act of God cannot be imputed to him and render him liable for damages.’ The error complained of is that his Honor charged: T charge you that I malee this remark in connection with it, that if you find that the defendant left the crop in the field too long, until the act of God came, until the storm came and destroyed it, that this would not relieve him; he would not be relieved by the act of God;’ in that in so charging he charged upon the facts, and brought them prominently before the jury as an addenda to his charge of the law, and that by such charge the defendant was prejudiced.” We fail to see wherein this was a charge upon the facts.
The seventh exception is as follows: “7th. His Honor erred in refusing to charge the defendant’s second request: ‘That unless it is shown by the preponderance of the testi *384 mony that the defendant wilfully and wantonly and without legal authority seized the crop, then punitive damages will not lie; I cannot charge it that way. If a thing is done carelessly, there is a ground for punitive damages;’ thus instructing the jury that ordinary neglect was a ground for punitive damages.” This exception seems to have been taken under a misapprehension, as shown by the language of the Circuit Judge, which was as follows: “I cannot charge you that just as it is, but I will charge you that punitive damages are not justified unless the act is done wilfully and wantonly and without legal authority; but if he does it wilfully and wantonly, he renders himself liable for damages. I am requested to charge this, but I cannot charge it as it is. That is, unless it is shown by the preponderance of the testimony that the defendant wilfully and wantonly and without legal authority seized the crop, then punitive damages will not lie. I cannot charge it that way. If a thing is done wantonly, there is ground for punitive damages; and if it is done recklessly, there is a ground for punitive damages. A man may do a thing in either one of these ways and, as I have said, render himself liable for punitive damages.”
The eighth exception is as follows : “8th. That his Honor erred in refusing to charge the third request of the defendant, ‘That if the evidence is sufficient to convince you that the defendant had a lien upon the crop of the plaintiff for the rent of the land and was lawfully foreclosing said lien, that punitive damages will not lie.’ The error complained of is in the fact that the said request was a legal conclusion and susceptible of standing upon the proposition stated, and any amendment thereto was calculated to mislead the jury.” The only assignment of error is that the modification may have misled the jury. The exception fails to show in what respect the jury may have been misled; but, waiving this objection, it must be overruled.
The ninth exception is as follows: “9th. That his Honor erred in refusing to charge the jury the defendant’s fourth *385 request: ‘That if the evidence convinces you that the defendant had a lien upon the crop of the plaintiff and was lawfully foreclosing the same, that in that event he would only be liable to the plaintiff for such sum as by his neglect he may have damaged the plaintiff, and could not recover punitive damages.’ The error complained of is that by his refusal to so charge, the jury was misled; that neglect, although ordinary, would sustain a verdict for punitive damages.”
In refusing the third request his Honor said: “I have just said that a man may subject himself to punitive damages in, operating a lawful object. It depends upon how he performs his duty. If it be shown to the jury that a man did a thing wilfully and wantonly and without legal authority, that will subject him to punitive damages. If it were shown to the jury that it was done wantonly and recklessly, then the jury would be justified in giving punitive damages. So I cannot charge that.” In refusing the fourth request, he used this language: “I cannot charge that, because-of the same reason I have just given in reference to the other requests. A man may conduct himself so as to subject himself to punitive damages, no matter if he is doing it lawfully.” With this explanation we are satisfied that the jury was not misled.
It is the judgment of this Court, that the judgment of the Circuit Court be affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Hatchell v. Chandler.
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Rent Lien — Agency—Waiver.—Charge complained of as to landlord waiving his rent lien on crops of sub-tenant to secure rent of tenant, and as to agency, was properly given as responsive to the issues arising in the cause and under the pleadings, and not on the facts. 2. Argument — Attorney—Appeal—Charge.—If trial Judge improperly states argument of counsel, his attention should be called to it at the time, if it is desired to except to it. 3. Charge. — Appellant cannot complain of charge too favorable to him. 4. Ibid.. — Rent Lien — Damages.—A Landlord seizing crop under lien for rent is liable for punitive damages, if, in conducting the seizure and sale, he act wantonly, or recklessly, or maliciously, and the charge in reference to actual and punitive damages was not misleading, or on the facts. 5. Appeal — New Trial — Preponderance oe Evidence. — This Court cannot consider if a verdict is against the preponderance of the evidence.