Washington & Georgetown Railroad v. Adams
Washington & Georgetown Railroad v. Adams
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court:
This is a suit for damages for personal injuries alleged to have been sustained by the appellee, Frank C. Adams, by being thrown from a car of the appellant, The Washington
It appears from the record, and it seems to be conceded, that the testimony adduced on behalf of the plaintiff at this second trial was substantially the same as at the first trial, upon which we held that he was entitled to go to the jury. The defendant on its part adduced testimony deemed by it to be sufficient to overcome the plaintiff’s testimony, and vastly to preponderate over it. And accordingly, at the conclusion of the whole testimony, the same request was made as on the former trial for an instruction to the jury to render a verdict for the defendant. The request was denied; and the defendant excepted; and upon that exception the present appeal is based. There were other rulings of the trial court, and other exceptions thereto, but they are not assigned here as error, and are not therefore to be here considered.
It is quite clear that this appeal can not be sustained. If, as we have held, the plaintiff in and by his testimony made a prima facie case upon which he was entitled to go to the jury, no assumed preponderance of testimony could deprive him of that right. The question of preponderance of testimony is always one for the jury, subject to the wise discretion of the trial court to set aside its verdict not reviewable on appeal. It w7as upon the assumption of the preponderance of evidence in favor of the defendant, and also upon
It follows, therefore, that the judgment of the court below should be affirmed, with costs. And it is so ordered.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- THE WASHINGTON AND GEORGETOWN RAILROAD COMPANY. v. ADAMS
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Pleading and Practice ; Preponderance op Testimony. 1. Where after an appeal in a personal injury case from a judgment for the defendant on a verdict directed by the court at the close of the plaintiff's testimony, on which appeal the judgment is reversed on the ground that a prima facie case of negligence on the part of the defendant had been made out, a second trial is had upon the same evidence for the plaintiff and evidence adduced by the defendant of a contradictory character, and also alleged to show contributory negligence, a judgment on a verdict for the plaintiff will not be disturbed on an appeal by the defendant. 2. The question of the preponderance of the testimony is always one for the jury, subject to the wise discretion of the trial court to 1 set aside its verdict, not reviewable on appeal.