Rough & Ready Lumber Co. v. Blue Sky Forest Products

Plaintiff appeals from a judgment on a directed verdict for Blue Sky Forest Products (defendant). A directed verdict is proper only when reasonable people could draw but one conclusion from the evidence. James v. Carnation Co., 278 Or 65, 69, 562 P2d 1192 (1977). We review the evidence in the light most favorable to plaintiff to decide whether a jury could reasonably have concluded that it should prevail. Paulson v. Western Life Insurance Co., 292 Or 38, 40 n 1, 636 P2d 935 (1981).

Defendant is a lumber broker. Plaintiff is a lumber mill operator. In the fall of 1986, Miller, a representative…