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363 F.2d 436

Docket No. 10457.

Fooks v. Mister

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

Argued May 31, 1966.

Decided June 22, 1966.

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals · decided 1966-06-22

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently June 1966

1 federal appellate ·

2 counsel of record

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Opinion by (per_curiam) · Decided 1966-06-22

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¶1Melvin J. Sykes, Baltimore, Md. (Foster H. Fanseen, Baltimore, Md., on brief), for appellant.

¶2Jacob Rassner, New York City, for ap-pellee.

¶3Before SOBELOFF and BRYAN, Circuit Judges, and HEMPHILL, District Judge.

¶4PER CURIAM:

¶5In this action to recover damages for personal injuries suffered by the plaintiff when he was struck by the defendant’s automobile while crossing at an intersection of two Maryland public highways on his bicycle, the jury found for the plaintiff. The premise of the complaint, and apparently of the verdict, was the negligence of the defendant in driving through a red traffic light at the intersection.

¶6The only errors assigned on this appeal are (1) the inadequacy of the evidence to establish the diversity of citizenship requisite to the jurisdiction of the District Court, and (2) the Court’s refusal to submit to the jury the issue of the plaintiff’s contributory negligence. The fault charged to the plaintiff was his failure to have lights on his bicycle, as required by Art. 66%, § 277 of the Maryland Code.

¶7 Our examination of the record discloses that the Court, although not expressly, in effect found there was diversity of citizenship. We think, too, that the evidence was sufficient to warrant this conclusion. Also we think the judge was correct in declining to charge the jury on contributory negligence. Lights on the bicycle would not have prevented or deterred the defendant from *437running through the red light, the sole cause of the accident.

¶8As the proof amply supports the verdict, and there was no error of law in the trial, we approve the judgment entered for the plaintiff and now on review.

¶9Affirmed.

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