Granduke v. Lembesis

The opinion of the court was delivered by

PETRELLA, P.J.A.D.

The issue in this appeal is the effect of the failure of plaintiff Jodi Granduke to accept a settlement offer where the insurance policy limits were paid into court prior to trial on behalf of a defendant thereafter found not negligent by the jury. Defendant Gerald A. Granduke (plaintiff’s husband) was found by the jury to be free from negligence. The trial judge granted defendant Granduke’s motion and ordered return of the deposit *548to Rider Insurance Company (Rider), which had tendered its policy limits in an offer of settlement on…