Stenback v. Racing Associates, Inc., 79-414

Decision Date11 March 1981
Docket NumberNo. 79-414,79-414
Citation394 So.2d 1128
PartiesGordon STENBACK and Clyde Trenary, Appellants, v. RACING ASSOCIATES, INC., Appellee.
CourtFlorida District Court of Appeals

Harvey J. Garod of Law Offices of Reasbeck & Fegers, P.A., Hollywood, for appellants.

George A. Williamson, Fort Lauderdale, for appellee.

PER CURIAM.

This is an appeal from a final judgment entered pursuant to a directed verdict in a jury trial. Plaintiff/appellant sued defendant for breach of contract. The issue was whether, pursuant to a written lease, defendant was able to deliver an auditorium facility to the plaintiff/lessee in a timely fashion. The trial court concluded on motion for directed verdict that the plaintiff rather than the defendant had breached the lease in an anticipatory fashion. We conclude that this constituted error. The decision made by the trial court was basically one of fact. All evidence must be viewed in the light most favorable to the non-moving party when considering a motion for directed verdict. As stated in Hernandez v. Motrico, Inc., 370 So.2d 836 (Fla.3d DCA 1979), at page 838:

It is well established that a directed verdict should be granted the defendant by the trial court at the close of plaintiff's case only when it is clearly apparent to the court that no evidence has been submitted on which the jury could lawfully find a verdict for the plaintiff and the conclusion reached by the trial judge under the circumstances is a conclusion of law resulting from the presence of a state of facts that permits no other legal result. MacAlpine v. Martin, 205 So.2d 347 (Fla.2d DCA 1967); Sun Life Insurance Co. of America v. Evans, 340 So.2d 957 (Fla.3d DCA 1976); Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.480, Florida Statutes Annotated, Volume 30. However, the direction of a verdict can constitute an encroachment on the right of a litigant to a jury trial and an invasion by the court of the province of a jury which is contrary to constitutional guaranties, where there is any evidence to justify a possible verdict for the non-moving party even if a preponderance of the evidence appears to favor the movant. See Budgen v. Brady, 103 So.2d 672 (Fla.1st DCA 1958).

We conclude this case is within the above quoted rule and that the trial court erred in directing a verdict.

The case is remanded to the trial court for a new trial.

REMANDED.

LETTS, C. J., and BERANEK, J., concur.

DOWNEY, J., dissents, with opinion.

DOWNEY, Judge, dissenting:

The evidence in ...

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8 cases
  • Collins v. School Bd. of Broward County
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • May 15, 1985
    ...of the party against whom the motion has been made. Reams v. Vaughn, 435 So.2d 879 (Fla. 5th DCA 1983); Stenback v. Racing Associates, Inc., 394 So.2d 1128 (Fla. 4th DCA 1981). Similarly, every reasonable conclusion which may be drawn from the evidence must also be construed favorably to th......
  • Ritz v. Florida Patient's Compensation Fund
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • August 4, 1983
    ...a verdict is error because it deprives a party of his constitutional right to trial by a jury of his peers. Stenback v. Racing Associates, Inc., 394 So.2d 1128 (Fla. 4th DCA 1981). The record here shows there was an issue concerning whether or not Dr. Keller materially misrepresented the gr......
  • Plotch v. Gregory
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • February 6, 1985
    ...judgment as a matter of law. Forshee v. Peninsular Life Ins. Co., 370 So.2d 842 (Fla. 3d DCA 1979); see also Stenback v. Racing Associates, Inc., 394 So.2d 1128 (Fla. 4th DCA 1981); Stokes v. Clark, 390 So.2d 489 (Fla. 1st DCA 1980). On appellate review, a directed verdict should be affirme......
  • Johnson v. Swerdzewski, 1D05-4882.
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • July 31, 2006
    ...of the party against whom the motion has been made. Reams v. Vaughn, 435 So.2d 879 (Fla. 5th DCA 1983); Stenback v. Racing Associates, Inc., 394 So.2d 1128 (Fla. 4th DCA 1981). Similarly, every reasonable conclusion which may be drawn from the evidence must also be construed favorably to th......
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