Breitenberg v. Parker

In Breitenberg v. Parker, 237 Ark. 261, 372 S.W.2d 828 (1963) the jury deliberated for approximately fifteen minutes and awarded the plaintiff $ 20,000 for damages suffered as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Breitenberg, 237 Ark. at 262-263, 372 S.W.2d at 830. Thereafter, Breitenberg, who was the defendant, moved for a new trial alleging only that "was too short a time to allow the jury to deliberate." Breitenberg, 237 Ark. at 264, 372 S.W.2d at 831. The trial court denied the motion and our supreme court affirmed, reasoning that: appellant's counsel cite us to no Arkansas case involving this question of speed of deliberation of the jury, and our search has failed to disclose any such cases from other jurisdictions, all to the effect that the losing party has no ground for a new trial on the basis that the jury verdict was reached in a very short time. Id.