Dwight Purdy, guardian for Isabelle Norton v. John Deere and Ramsey-Waite Co.

Dwight Purdy, guardian for Isabelle Norton, age 6, sued John Deere and Ramsey-Waite Co. on a products liability theory claiming that designed, manufactured and sold a defective and unreasonably dangerous riding lawnmover. They also claimed that the company and local distributor were negligent in their marketing and selling of the riding lawnmower. Isabelle was backed over when she tried to climb onto the machine which was being operated by Kurt Norton.



Plaintiff claimed that the mower was defective and unreasonably dangerous because the blades of the machine do not stop when the machine was placed in reverse.



Defendants denied that they were negligent or that the mower was unreasonably dangerous. The also claimed that it was not possible to design and manufacture a child-proof machine. They also claimed that Isabelle's parents had not heeded a sign affixed to the mower warning operators not to give children rides on the machine and that her father had disregarded its warnings not to mow in reverse or when children were around.

Defendants' verdict on a 9-3 vote of the jury.