Jerista v. Murray

This case concerns the application of the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur when a supermarket’s automatic door unexpectedly closes on and injures a customer. The central issue is whether res ipsa loquitur permits a jury to infer, based on common knowledge, that automatic doors ordinarily do not malfunction unless negligently maintained by the store owner or whether the res ipsa inference is preconditioned on expert testimony first explaining the door’s mechanics.

The issue arises in a malpractice action against an attorney, who represented the injured customer and her husband in a negligence…