Payne v. Leininger

• Decision Date: 20 June 1924
• Docket Number: 24,119
• Citation: Payne v. Leininger, 160 Minn. 75, 199 N. W. 435 (Minn. 1924)
• Parties: WILLIAM R. PAYNE v. JOHN J. LEININGER
• Court: Minnesota Supreme Court

199 N.W. 435

160 Minn. 75

WILLIAM R. PAYNE v. JOHN J. LEININGER

No. 24,119

Supreme Court of Minnesota

June 20, 1924

Action in the district court for Douglas county to recover $25,000. The case was tried before Roeser, J., who at the close of the testimony denied defendant's request for a directed verdict, and a jury which returned a verdict in defendant's favor. From an order denying his motion for a new trial, plaintiff appealed. Affirmed.

SYLLABUS

Question for jury whether automobile of defendant was used for family purpose.

The family automobile doctrine is based upon the relationship of principal and agent or master and servant. The defendant owned a family automobile. His son, who was of age but a member of the household, with his permission, took it for a trip to South Dakota with a young woman, with whom he was keeping company, and her mother. The auto overturned and the young woman was killed and her mother was injured. There was testimony that the purpose of the son and the young woman in going to South Dakota was to get married there. The plaintiff requested the trial court to charge that if such was the fact the automobile was in use for a family purpose. The court refused, and left it to the jury to find whether it was in use as a family car. It is held that the court did not err in refusing the plaintiff's instruction; and there was no error prejudicial to the plaintiff in submitting to the jury the defendant's liability under the family automobile doctrine.

F. H Borchert and Donohue & Quigley, for appellant.

J. D Sullivan, for respondent.

OPINION

DIBELL, J.

This action was brought by Rilla Payne to recover damages for injuries sustained in an automobile accident. There was a verdict for the defendant. Afterwards Mrs. Payne died and William R. Payne, her administrator, was substituted. He appeals from the order denying the motion for a new trial.

The defendant Leininger conducted a hotel at Osakis in Douglas county. His son Carl, a young man 22 years of age, lived with him as a member of the household and helped about the hotel. He received his board and clothing and a weekly allowance. Mrs. Payne lived at Osakis. She had a daughter Evelyn. Carl and Evelyn kept company. The defendant owned a family automobile. On the early morning of October 10, 1922, Carl, with his father's permission, took the car and with Mrs. Payne and Evelyn started for Milbank, South Dakota. There is evidence that the young people had in contemplation getting married there and that that was the purpose of the trip. On the way the auto overturned. Carl and Evelyn were killed and Mrs. Payne was injured. She claimed that the accident was the result of Carl's negligence and brought suit against the defendant for her injury.

The plaintiff requested the court to instruct as follows:

"The plaintiff requests the court to instruct the jury that the use of the automobile for the purpose of going to get married, if so used, was under the evidence in this case a family purpose."

This request was refused. The court in its general charge instructed as follows:

"If you believe that this trip to Dakota was for the purpose of getting married, it is for you to say whether or not that is such use by a family car as it is ordinarily or usually subjected to."

The liability of the owner of an auto for damage done by it rests upon the doctrine of principal and agent or master and servant. Mogle v. A.W. Scott Co. 144 Minn. 173, 174 N.W. 832, 7 L.R.A. 1496, and cases cited; Kayser v. Van Nest, 125 Minn. 277, 146 N.W. 1091, 51 L.R.A. (N.S.) 970, and cases cited. With this doctrine as a basis the liability of the head of the family for injuries occurring in the use of an auto kept for the pleasure and use of the family has been accorded a free and natural development from case to case until we have...