CITY OF MIAMI, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLANT,
v.
MARIE MCMAHON FLETCHER, APPELLEE

Fla. 3d DCA | 1964-09-09
No. 64-162
Before BARKDULL, C. J., and HORTON and TILLMAN PEARSON, JJ.
167 So. 2d 638 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (1964) Caution
Cited by 14 cases

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Synopsis

The City of Miami appealed a jury verdict in a negligence case involving a collision between a city rubbish truck and the plaintiff's automobile. The court affirmed the judgment, rejecting the city's arguments regarding jury instructions, admission of evidence about prior brake failure, and alleged improper closing arguments.


Holding

The court held that the requested jury instruction was improper because it misstated the law by making only the driver's knowledge determinative when the city could be liable based on its own constructive or actual knowledge, and no conflict in evidence existed on this point. The admission of the driver's knowledge of prior brake failure was properly admitted either as an exception to the hearsay rule or as a personal admission against a party. The alleged improper closing arguments did not warrant reversal.


Key Quotes

“The charge was objectionable for two reasons: One, the jury could have held the defendant, City, upon the ground of the City's knowledge, constructive or actual, of the defective brakes. Therefore, the question of the driver's knowledge was not solely determinative of the issue.”

Establishes that the city could be liable based on its own knowledge independent of the driver's knowledge, making the requested instruction improper.

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Facts & Procedural History

The plaintiff alleged that a City of Miami rubbish truck driver negligently drove his truck into the rear of her stopped automobile. The truck's drive…

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Opinion of the Court
TILLMAN PEARSON, Judge.

*639TILLMAN PEARSON, Judge.

The defendant, City of Miami, appeals a final judgment based on a jury verdict in an action in which the plaintiff alleged that the driver of a City of Miami rubbish truck negligently drove his truck into the rear of plaintiff’s stopped automobile. Three points are presented for reversal. One, that the court failed to grant appellant’s requested charge on the defense of sudden brake failure; two, that the court erred by permitting into evidence the testimony of defendant’s driver, that he had been informed of a previous failure of the brakes on the truck ; three, that the comments of appellee’s counsel during the closing argument were improper, unfair and highly prejudicial.

Appellant’s first point claims error under the refusal of a requested charge We have examined the charge requested and find that it is an improper statement of the law in that it would have informed the jury that sudden brake failure was a defense to the cause of action unless the driver of the truck knew of trouble with the brakes. The charge was objectionable for two reasons: One, the jury could have held the defendant, City, upon the ground of the City’s knowledge, constructive or actual, of the defective brakes. Therefore, the question of the driver’s knowledge was not solely determinative of the issue. Second, the charge could not have been properly given based on the evidence before the jury because there was no conflict upon the question that the driver actually knew of trouble with the brakes. The court may not give a charge upon an issue not actually made by the evidence. Bassett v. Hackett, Fla.1953, 66 So.2d 694, 698. The basis of this conclusion will be discussed in the second point.

Appellant’s second point urges error upon the admissibility of evidence. The evidence objected to was a part of the deposition of the driver (who was not a witness at the trial) that he knew of an occasion prior to the accident when the brakes of the same truck failed. But he stated he was not present on that occasion. An important issue at the trial was whether the defendant, City, knew or should have known that the brakes on this particular-truck were in a dangerous condition. On: discovery deposition the City’s driver admitted that he knew that the brakes on this, particular truck had failed on a prior occasion. Was this admission of knowledge-hearsay? Clearly it was because the driver-testified that he had not been in the truck when the first failure occurred. But was it error to admit the admission of knowledge on the part of the City? (The driver’s-knowledge is obviously that of a responsible agent and therefore chargeable to the-City).

The purpose of the hearsay rule is-to exclude unreliable testimony. Can it be-said that the driver’s admission of knowledge is less reliable because he did not personally observe the incident? The admission is offered against the declarant (and' his principal). What a party admits to be-true may reasonably be presumed to be so. It is admissible either as an exception to the-hearsay rule or upon a refusal to apply to evidence of personal admissions restrictions usually applicable to testimonial evidence. See Morgan, Basic Problems of Evidence, p. 265 (1962).

The third point presented by appellant urges that the court should have granted defendant a new trial because of improper statements by attorney for the plaintiff in closing argument. We have examined each objection made to the argument, and the court’s ruling thereon. In some-cases the court sustained the objection and-no further action was requested. In others, the objection was denied. In no case was the argument such as to require a reversal because of prejudice or passion in general. See Seaboard Air Line RR v. McCutcheon, Fla.App.1964, 158 So.2d 577.

Affirmed.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Masvidal v. Ochoa, 505 So. 2d 555 (Fla. 3d DCA 1987)
    …o obligation to charge the jury on this claim. See Smith v. Whidden, 87 So. 2d 42, 44 (Fla.1956); C.A. Davis, Inc. v. City of Miami, 400 So. 2d 536, 539 (Fla. 3d DCA), pet. for review dismissed, 411 So. 2d 380 (Fla. 1981); City of Miami v. Fletcher, 167 So. 2d 638, 639 (Fla. 3d DCA 1964). Third, we see no error in excluding evidence of a separate oral agreement between the parties that the defendant was to receive a $75,000 salary as bank president. Proof of this oral agreement, we think, was barred by the p…
  • Metro. Dade Cnty. v. Yearby, 580 So. 2d 186 (Fla. 3d DCA 1991)
    …, 1316 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989); § 90.106, Fla.Stat. (1989). The final judgment under review is, therefore, in all respects Affirmed. . 4 J. Weinstein & M. Berger, Weinstein's Evidence § 801(d)(2)(C)[01], at 277-78 (1990). . City of Miami v. Fletcher, 167 So. 2d 638, 639 (Fla. 3d DCA 1964); C. Ehrhardt, Florida Evidence § 803.18, at 515 (2d ed. 1984); M. Graham, Handbook of Florida Evidence § 803.180, at 690-91 n. 8 (1987). . McCormick on Evidence § 263, at 778-79 (3d ed. 1984). See Federal Deposit Ins. Corp.…
  • Eppie Keyes v. Tallahassee Mem'l Reg'l Med. Ctr., 579 So. 2d 201 (Fla. 1st DCA 1991)
    …erit. See Cortez Roofing, Inc. v. Barolo, 323 So. 2d 45 (Fla. 2nd DCA 1975). . The attendants hired by the family had been discontinued prior to the time of the accident in question. . We are not unmindful of the case of City of Miami v. Fletcher, 167 So. 2d 638 (Fla. 3rd DCA 1964), but feel that case may be distinguished in that the issue there involved knowledge of the employer and the evidence was offered to show state of mind rather than to prove the fact asserted.…

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