Coleman v. Barr

Plaintiffs sued defendants for damages resulting from a beating which plaintiff Michael Coleman (hereinafter plaintiff) received in Durand, Michigan, on December 16, 1978. Subsequently, defaults were entered against defendants *266LaPorte and Barr for their failure to plead or otherwise defend against the action. A bench trial against defendant White commenced and at the close of plaintiffs’ proofs, White moved for a dismissal on the ground that the evidence was insufficient to establish tort liability on his part. The trial court’s opinion held that plaintiffs had no cause of action against…