Teri Sneberger v. Jerry Morrison, d/b/a Jerry Morrison Construction, and James Phillips

Summary

This document is a dissenting opinion in an appeal involving the trial court’s imposition of a five-and-one-half-hour limit on each party’s presentation of evidence in a construction-related case. The dissent argues that the trial court arbitrarily changed the parties’ pretrial understanding of a three-day trial without adequate notice or analysis, thereby prejudicing the plaintiff and implicating due process and fair-trial concerns. Justice Benjamin joined the dissent.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the circuit court abused its discretion by imposing an unexpected five-and-one-half-hour limit on each party's presentation of evidence after trial had begun.
2. Whether the imposition of the time limit warranted a new trial because it impaired the plaintiff's ability to present her evidence and implicated due process and basic trial fairness.

Disposition

other