Ching v. Dung
Decision Date | 15 August 2019 |
Docket Number | NO. CAAP-16-0000845,CAAP-16-0000845 |
Citation | 446 P.3d 1016 |
Parties | Donna LEE CHING, Plaintiff-Appellant/Cross-Appellee, v. Nancy LOO DUNG, individually, and as Trustee under that certain unrecorded Nancy Loo Dung Revocable Living Trust dated September 8, 1993; The Estate of Dennis Quan Keong Dung, deceased, as Trustee under that certain unrecorded Irrevocable Trust for Dixon Quan Hon Dung, dated June 21, 1995, and as Trustee under that certain unrecorded Nancy Loo Dung Revocable Living Trust dated September 8, 1993; Patsy Bow Yuk Dung, individually, and as Trustee under that certain unrecorded Revocable Trust Agreement dated August 19, 2003; Dixon Quan Hon Dung; Billie Dung; Annette Kwai Fah Dung; Denby Dung; Darah Dung; Dean Dung, Defendants-Appellees/Cross-Appellants, and John Does 1-10; Jane Does 1-10; Doe Partnerships 1-10; Doe Corporations 1-10; Doe Entities 1-10; and Doe Governmental Units 1-10, Defendants. Donna Lee Ching, Individually, Plaintiff-Appellant/Cross-Appellee, v. Annette Kwai Fah Dung, Personal Representative of the Estate of Dennis Quan Keong Dung; Patsy Bow Yuk Dung, Trustee of the Revocable Trust of Patsy Bow Yuk Dung dated August 19, 2003; Annette Dung, Individually; Billie Dung, Individually; Darah Dung, Individually; Dean Dung, Individually; Denby Dung, Individually, Defendants-Appellees/Cross-Appellants, and John Does 1-10; Jane Does 1-10; Doe Trustees 1-10; Doe Corporations 1-10; Doe Partnerships 1-10; Doe Limited Liability Companys 1-10; and Doe Entities 1-10, Defendants. |
Court | Hawaii Court of Appeals |
On the briefs:
Terrance M. Revere, Honolulu, Malia R. Nickison-Beazley, (Revere & Associates), Kailua, for Plaintiff-Appellant.
Jonathan L. Ortiz, Wade J. Katano, Christine S. Prepose-Kamihara, (Ortiz & Katano), Honolulu, for Cross-Appellee.
Ronald Shigekane, (Chong, Nishimoto, Sia, Nakamura, & Goya) and David J. Minkin, Jesse J.T. Smith, (McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon LLP), Honolulu, for Defendants-Appellees/Cross-Appellants.
This case stems from a dispute between neighbors over an easement, which escalated into a variety of incidents of alleged wrongful conduct by each side against the other. This appeal raises numerous issues, and we conclude that the trial court erred in a number of instances and this case must be remanded for a new trial.
Plaintiff/Counterclaim-Defendant/Appellant/Cross-Appellee Donna Lee Ching (Ching ) appeals from: (1) the Order Denying [Ching's] Motion for Additur or New Trial, filed on November 14, 2016 (Order Denying Additur ); and (2) the Final Judgment, filed on September 15, 2016 (Judgment ), by the Circuit Court of the First Circuit (Circuit Court ).1 Defendants/ Counterclaim-Plaintiffs/Appellees/Cross-Appellants Annette Dung (Annette ), Darah Dung (Darah ), Dean Dung (Dean ), Denby Dung (Denby ), and Dixon Quan Hon Dung (Dixon ) (collectively, the Dungs ) cross-appeal from: (1) the Order Granting in Part, and Denying in Part, Defendants/Counterclaimants' Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law [ (JMOL ) ], filed on April 12, 2016 (Order re JMOL ); (2) the Judgment; (3) the Order Denying Defendants/Counterclaimants' Renewed Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law, filed on January 4, 2017 (Order Denying Further JMOL ); and (4) the Order Denying Defendants/Counterclaimants' Motion for a New Trial or Remittitur, filed on January 4, 2017 (Order Denying New Trial ).
Ching owns and resides at a property located on Wilder Avenue in Honolulu, Hawai‘i (Ching Property ), which is also known as "Lot 28". The Dungs own and live on an adjacent property, which is located on Hoonanea Street, in Honolulu, Hawai‘i (Dung Property ), which is also known as "Lot 27". Ching's predecessor-in-interest, Mary Ching, previously owned all the land on which the Ching Property and Dung Property now stand, but in 1944 applied to have the property subdivided. Mary Ching's petition to subdivide the property was approved by the Land Court on September 29, 1944. Land Court Order 5938 (Order 5938 ) authorized and approved the subdivision upon the Land Court's review of, inter alia, "the Petition stating that Lot 28 [the Ching Property] will have access to Hoonanea Street over Easement ‘A’ ". Attached to Order 5938 is "Map 8," which identifies Easement A, which runs along the edge of Lot 27 (the Dung Property). Map 8 indicates that the easement is 12 feet in width (Easement ); there is no specific information regarding the scope or intended use of the Easement in Order 5938 or Map 8, except that the map's Notes state that "Lot 28 will have access to Hoonanea Street over Easement ‘A’ ".
It appears that the conflict over the Easement began in 2007. Prior to 2007, the Ching Property and the Dung Property were separated by a retaining rock wall, and the Ching Property was not accessible by vehicle over the Easement because of, inter alia, a five-foot difference in elevation between the properties. In 2003 or 2004, Ching requested that the Dungs remove the top portion of a retaining wall so that she could create some type of fencing for her dog, which the Dungs did. In 2007, Ching poured a slab, constructed a carport, and constructed a ramp to connect her property to the Easement, so that she was then able to drive from Hoonanea Street to her property using the Easement.
On June 21, 2007, Ching filed a Complaint (2007 Complaint ) against a number of the Dungs alleging, inter alia, that they had blocked her access to the Easement and through various means had interrupted her use and enjoyment of the Easement (the 2007 Suit ). Ching sought injunctive relief and damages in the 2007 Suit.
The Dungs filed an Answer to the 2007 Complaint (2007 Answer ) and a Counterclaim asserting nine counts, including claims for declaratory relief, negligence, nuisance, trespass, and malicious, wanton and intentional actions.
As relevant to the Circuit Court's ruling on judicial admissions (discussed below), the 2007 Complaint alleged:
In their 2007 Answer, the Dungs' response included:
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