Dooley v. Byrd
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In 2003, Respondent Cedric Byrd misjudged a turn along a Rankin County highway. The trailer he was towing got stuck in the highway. A car in which Jonathan Dooley was traveling with his mother collided with the trailer, killing Jonathan instantly. On behalf of Jonathan's heirs, Leah Dooley, Jonathan's mother, filed a wrongful death action against Mr. Byrd and his employer Independent Roofing Systems. A jury returned a verdict in favor of Mr. Byrd and Independent Roofing. The trial court denied Ms. Dooley's post-trial motions, and she appealed to the Supreme Court. Ms. Dooley argued that there were multiple errors at trial that ended with a verdict against the weight of the evidence presented. Upon review of the trial court record, the Supreme Court agreed that the errors at trial warranted a new trial. Of note, the Court found that Jonathan's heirs were not allowed to fully participate in the proceedings. On this basis, the Supreme Court reversed the trial court's judgment in this case and remanded the case for further proceedings.
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