Hanks v. Booth

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Holmes, J.:

Appellee, Michael R. Hanks, filed suit in Lyon County District Court against the appellants, parents of three young children, for damage to his barn resulting from a fire ignited by the children playing with matches. The action was brought pursuant to K.S.A. 38-120. Following trial to a jury a verdict was rendered in favor of Mr. Hanks for $20,170.00. The judgment was reversed by the Court of Appeals in Hanks v. Booth, 11 Kan. App. 2d 149, 716 P.2d 596 (1986). We granted review.

It is not disputed that appellee’s barn was destroyed as the…