Opinion

Mann v. Des Moines Railway Co.

  • 232 Iowa 1049
  • 7 N.W.2d 45
Court
Supreme Court of Iowa
Filed
Dec 15, 1942
Status
Published
Author
Miller
On the bench
Bliss, Wennerstbum, Mitoiiell, Stiger, Oliver, Hale, Garfield, Miller
Cited by
30 cases

trespasser, licensee, bare licensee, mere licensee, licensee by express invitation, licensee by implied invitation

How later courts described this case

  • trespasser, licensee, bare licensee, mere licensee, licensee by express invitation, licensee by implied invitation

Written by the judges who cited it.

The opinion

Miller, J.

(specially concurring) — I agree with the result reached by the majority opinion herein and the decisions made on those propositions which appear to be essential to a determination of the case, but I doubt the advisability of including a substantial portion of the discussion set forth in such opinion. In division I, quite a number of authorities are cited and discussed for the purpose of determining the duty owed to a trespasser. The opinion then states, “The record here clearly establishes that the appellee was not a trespasser.” While the discussion relative to whether the appellee was a trespasser appears proper, a discussion of the duties owed to a trespasser is dictum and unnecessary to a decision of the case. In division II, the opinion discusses the duties owed to a bare licensee and states, “The record clearly establishes that the appellee was not a bare licensee.” Such holding renders a large portion of division II dicta and unnecessary to a decision of the case. In division

*1076

III, it is held that appellee ivas a licensee by implied invitation. Considerable discussion is had with regard to the duties owed such a licensee. I think there is a distinction in such cases regarding the duties owed by a railroad company to such a licensee. This distinction arises because of the type of property comprising a railroad right of way and the use made of it. Much that can be and has been said regarding duties of railroad employees to give warning and maintain a lookout for such licensees upon a railroad right of way is not applicable to the. employees of other types of landowners. Accordingly, I think much of the discussion in division III is dictum and unnecessary to a decision herein.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

A word about cookies

We need a few to keep you signed in and the library working. The rest help us see which pages people use and where they get stuck. They stay off unless you say yes.