Anderson v. State

• Decision Date: 11 February 2005
• Docket Number: No. 03-0322.,03-0322.
• Citation: 692 N.W.2d 360
• Parties: Kecia D. ANDERSON, Appellant, v. STATE of Iowa and Marilyn Mercado, Appellees.
• Court: Iowa Supreme Court

692 N.W.2d 360

Kecia D. ANDERSON, Appellant, v. STATE of Iowa and Marilyn Mercado, Appellees.

No. 03-0322.

Supreme Court of Iowa.

February 11, 2005.

Bruce L. Braley of Dutton, Braun, Staack, Hellman, P.L.C., Waterloo, for appellant.

Thomas J. Miller, Attorney General, and Julie A. Burger, Assistant Attorney General, for appellees.

WIGGINS, Justice.

Kecia Anderson brought a tort claim against Marilyn Mercado and the State of Iowa for injuries she sustained in a fall on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. Anderson alleged Mercado and the State were negligent in failing to close the library early due to the weather conditions. She also alleged the State was negligent for failing to remove ice from the walkway, a claim based on premises liability. The district court directed a verdict on Anderson's claim against Mercado and the State for their failure to close the library early due to the weather conditions because the decision to keep the library open was a discretionary function. The district court submitted the premises liability case against the State on the theory Anderson was an invitee. The jury returned a verdict adverse to Anderson on the premises liability claim. Anderson appealed contending the decision to keep the library open was not a discretionary function, and the district court erred in its instructions to the jury on the premises liability case. The court of appeals reversed the district court on the issue of discretionary function but affirmed on the errors claimed in the jury instructions. We hold the decision to keep the library open is immune from liability under the discretionary function exception. The court, being evenly divided on the jury instruction issue, affirms the decision of the district court on this issue.

I. Background Facts and Proceedings.

On February 8, 2001, Anderson arrived at the library on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa in the early evening to study for an exam. The library closed at 12 a.m. Andersen left the library at approximately 11:55 p.m. By that time, a winter storm had caused icy conditions on the campus's streets and sidewalks. As soon as Anderson walked beyond the overhang of the library, she slipped and fell on the ice injuring herself.

The weather on the evening of February 8, 2001 was particularly hazardous because of the storm. Although several employees at the library became concerned as the storm grew worse during the course of the evening, the library remained open. Mercado, the interim dean of the library, was in charge of the library until she left the building sometime after 5 p.m. Linda McLaury, a library assistant, returned to the library from her evening meal around 8 p.m. At that time, McLaury observed the sidewalks were starting to get a little slick. Barb Weeg, a librarian, left the library around 9 p.m. On Weeg's trip home, she observed icy conditions and became concerned for the safety of the students and employees working in the library. Upon arriving home, Weeg called McLaury to report the sidewalks around the university were icy, but the roads in town "were not too bad." Weeg instructed McLaury to contact Mercado about the icy conditions and to inquire whether the library should remain open under these weather conditions. Mercado had the authority to close the library early under severe weather conditions. McLaury called Mercado at her home sometime between 9:30 and 10 p.m.

McLaury expressed Weeg's concerns to Mercado about the weather. Mercado lived in rural Parkersburg, which is several miles away from Cedar Falls, the location of the library. McLaury told Mercado that Weeg told her the "sidewalks were icy," and she thought the student working at the reference desk was concerned and might need to go home. Mercado remembers checking the traffic on the highway in front of her home, but it was hard for her to assess the situation in Cedar Falls from the traffic on the highway where she lived. Mercado then asked McLaury whether she was concerned for her own safety. McLaury replied she was fine and had no problems with staying until closing. After McLaury assured Mercado she could handle the duties without the help of the students, Mercado told McLaury to ask the three students working in the library if they needed to go home because of the weather. Mercado also asked McLaury how many people were in the building, because the number of persons using the library bears on Mercado's decision whether to shut down the library. McLaury responded about thirty to thirty-five people were in the building. Mercado then made the decision to keep the library open until closing. She told McLaury to call her back if anything else came up that evening.

At trial, Mercado testified two other factors not discussed in her phone conversation with McLaury influenced her decision to keep the library open. First, was the library's written weather/working policy. Although the university intended the weather/working policy to clarify the policy for library personnel, it contained the following statement from an article in the December 9, 1996 Campus News Network, which provided:

It is the policy of the University to continue normal hours of operation and maintain a regular work schedule for staff members during periods of severe weather and/or adverse working conditions. It is a basic premise of this policy that University faculty, staff, and students shall have the opportunity to make their own decision about reporting to work or class with due consideration for travel safety conditions.

The second factor to influence Mercado's decision to keep the library open was Weeg's tendency to exaggerate and to be over-concerned about things. The evidence at trial differed as to the conditions that evening. According to one of the student employees at the library, sometime after 8 p.m., a patron arrived at the library and inquired as to whether the library would stay open during the storm. The patron described the weather as "very scary." In contrast to this testimony, a student assistant reported to work at 9 p.m. She testified it was dark and rainy but she did not encounter or notice any icy conditions around the library. This assistant did have one patron ask whether the library would be open the rest of the evening. At no time did this patron tell the assistant it was icy outside. The assistant saw about ten patrons enter the library between 9 p.m. and closing. Not one patron expressed any concern about the weather. McLaury recalls seeing fifteen to twenty students leaving the library between 11:40 and 11:50 p.m. Not one of these students returned to the library to report icy conditions or that anyone had fallen outside the library.

After she sustained her injury, Anderson filed a tort claim with the State Appeal Board. After six months, Anderson withdrew the claim and filed a petition and jury demand in district court. Her petition alleged Mercado and the State were negligent in failing to close the library early due to the weather conditions. She also alleged the State was negligent for failing to remove ice from the walkway, a claim based on premises liability. The case proceeded to trial. At the close of Anderson's evidence, defendants moved for a directed verdict on several grounds, including the discretionary function immunity. The district court granted the motion and entered a directed verdict in favor of Mercado and the State on the basis the decision not to close the library was subject to discretionary function immunity. The district court submitted the case against the State on the premises liability claim. The jury returned a verdict in favor of the State. Anderson filed a motion for a new trial, which the trial court overruled. Anderson appealed.

The court of appeals held Mercado's decision to keep the library open was not subject to discretionary function immunity. It stated "the simple determination that weather conditions did not warrant the early closing of the library is not ... a policy driven analysis. It is not a decision supported by social, political, or economic policies." The court of appeals affirmed on the premises liability claim. This court granted further review.

II. Issues.

On further review, we can review any or all of the issues raised on appeal or limit our review to just those issues brought to our attention by the application for further review. Smith v. Shagnasty's Inc., 688 N.W.2d 67, 72 (Iowa 2004). Anderson raises two issues on appeal relevant to our disposition of this case: (1) whether the district court erred in granting the directed verdict; and (2) whether the district court erred in instructing the jury on the premises liability claim.

III. Scope of Review.

Our review of a district court's granting of a directed verdict is for correction of errors at law. Ette v. Linn-Mar Cmty. Sch. Dist., 656 N.W.2d 62, 66 (2002). On appeal, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict, taking into consideration all reasonable inferences that could be fairly made by the jury. Id. We review a court's refusal to give an instruction for an abuse of discretion, while we review challenges to jury instructions for correction of errors at law. Kiesau v. Bantz, 686 N.W.2d 164, 171 (Iowa 2004).

IV. Did the District Court Err in Granting the Directed Verdict?

The district court granted Mercado and the State's directed verdict by concluding the decision to keep the library open was a discretionary function under Iowa Code section 669.14(1) (2001). The question we must decide is whether the district court correctly interpreted section 669.14(1) and applied it to the evidence.

The State does not waive its sovereign immunity for actions "based upon the exercise or performance or the failure to exercise or perform a discretionary function or duty on the part of a state agency or an employee of the state, whether or not the discretion be abused." Iowa Code § 669.14(1). For purposes of...