Perhaps the most common legal presumption is the presumption that people act honestly and in good faith29 and with due care.30 This presumption has been applied in a variety of contexts, most notably to actions against public officers and authorities, including tax assessors,31 city and county councils,32 school boards,33 administrative agencies,34 law enforcement officers35 and prosecutors.36 The presumption has been extended beyond government personnel to include other groups such as doctors,37 hospital authorities and employees,38 school building commissions39 and corporate boards of directors.40
Consistent with this, when it appears that an oath or affirmation has been administered by competent authority, it is presumed that the oath was administered properly, absent evidence to the contrary.41
An agent is presumed to be acting within the scope of his authority where his act is legal and there is no evidence as to any limitations of his authority.41.1
29. Thomas v. King, 99 A.2d 778, 781 (Del. 1953); Murphy v. T. B. O’Toole, Inc., 87 A.2d 637, 638 (Del. Super. 1952); KE Property Management, Inc. v. 275 Madison Management Corp., C.A. No. 12683, slip op. at 19, Hartnett, V.C. (Del. Ch. July 21, 1993). A corollary of this is that fraud is not presumed at common law. Griffin v. Star Printing Co., 74 A. 1072 (Del. 1910); Real Estate Trust Co. v. Wilmington & N. C. E. R. Co., 77 A. 756, 764 (Del. Ch. 1910), modified on other grounds, 77 A. 828 (Del. Ch. 1910); Mitchell v. Delaware State Tax Com’r, 42 A.2d 19, 22 (Del. Super. 1945); Nye Odorless Incinerator Corp. v. Felton, 162 A. 504, 511 (Del. Super. 1932); Monad Engineering Co. v. Stewart, 78 A. 598, 600 (Del. Super. 1910), aff’d sub nom. Stewart & Donohoe v. Monad Engineering Co., 82 A. 209 (Del. 1912); Harco Ins. Co. v. Green Farms, Inc., C.A. No. 1131, slip op. at 13, Hartnett, V.C. (Del. Ch. Sept. 18, 1989).
30. Wagner v. Shanks, 194 A.2d 701, 707 (Del. 1963); Queen Anne’s R. Co. v. Reed, 59 A. 860, 864 (Del. 1905); Staats v. Lawrence, 576 A.2d 663, 666 (Del. Super. 1990), aff’d mem., 582 A.2d 936 (Del. 1990); McGahey v. Swinehart, 267 A.2d 469, 471 (Del. Super. 1970); Bennett v. Andree, 264 A.2d 353, 354 (Del. Super. 1970), aff’d, 270 A.2d 173 (Del. 1970); McGuire v. McCollum, 116 A.2d 897, 901 (Del. Super. 1956). A corollary of this is that negligence (or contributory negligence) is not presumed. General Motors Corp. v. Dillon, 367 A.2d 1020, 1023 (Del. 1976); Wilson v. Derrickson, 175 A.2d 400, 401 (Del. 1961); Ciociola v. Delaware Coca-Cola Bottling Co., 172 A.2d 252, 257 (Del. 1961); Christian v. Wilmington General Hospital Asso., 135 A.2d 727, 730 (Del. 1957); Ayers v. Kent County Motor Sales Co., C.A. No. 88C-AU-26, slip op. at 4, Steele, J. (Del. Super. Dec. 16, 1991), aff’d mem., 601 A.2d 723 (Del. 1992).
31. Seaford Associates, L.P. v. Board of Assessment Review, 539 A.2d 1045, 1047 (Del. 1988); Delaware Racing Asso. v. McMahon, 340 A.2d 837, 839 (Del. 1975); Fitzsimmons v. McCorkle, 214 A.2d 334, 357 (Del. 1965); Cronin v. Board of Assessment Review, C.A. No. 91-A-05-8, slip op. at 1, Bifferato, J. (Del. Super. Feb. 26, 1992); Burtch v. New Castle Board of Assessment Review, C.A. No. 85A-JN-4, slip op. at 4, Poppiti, J. (Del. Super. Mar. 10, 1987) (ORDER).
32. New Castle County Council v. BC Dev. Associates, 567 A.2d 1271, 1276 (Del. 1989); Hayward v. Gaston, 542 A.2d 760, 769 (Del. 1988); Tate v. Miles, 503 A.2d 187, 191 (Del. 1986); Willdel Realty, Inc. v. New Castle County, 281 A.2d 612, 613 (Del. 1971); McQuail v. Shell Oil Co., 183 A.2d 572, 579 (Del. 1962); Hartman v. Buckson, 467 A.2d 694, 698 (Del. Ch. 1983); Fetters v. Wilmington, 72 A.2d 626, 629 (Del. Ch. 1950).
33. Phillips v. Board of Education, 330 A.2d 151, 154 (Del. Super. 1974); Mack v. Kent County Vocational-Technical School District, C.A. No. 86A-AU-2, slip op. at 5, Bush, J. (Del. Super. May 20, 1987).
34. Blinder, Robinson & Co. v. Bruton, 552 A.2d 466, 473 (Del. 1989); Citizens Hose Company No. 1, Inc. v. State Fire Prevention Comm’n, C.A. No. 84A-FE-2, slip op. at 3, Bush, J. (Del. Super. Feb. 20, 1987); In the Matter of Black Stallion Tax Ditch, C.A. No. 83M-JL-l, slip op. at 6, Martin, J. (Del. Super. Mar. 11, 1986), reh’g denied, C.A. No. 83M-JL-l, Martin, J. (Del. Super. Apr. 19, 1986).
35. State use of Henderson v. Clark, 13 A.2d 445, 447 (Del. Super. 1940), rev’d on other grounds, 20 A.2d 127 (Del. 1941).
36. This presumption has been applied to decisions of prosecutors to prosecute. Dawson v. State, 581 A.2d 1078, 1099 (Del. 1990), vacated on other grounds, remanded, 503 U.S. 159 (1992); Albury v. State, 551 A.2d 53, 61-62 (Del. 1988); Smith v. State, No. 506, 1989, slip op. at 3, Christie, J; (Del. Feb. 16, 1990) (ORDER), disposition reported at 574 A.2d 263 (Del. 1990) (TABLE); State v. Holloway, 460 A.2d 976, 978 (Del. Super. 1983); State v. Wharton, Cr. A. Nos. 90-12-1228-1236, slip op. at 5-6, Barron, J. (Del. Super. June 3, 1991), and decisions regarding the use of peremptory challenges. Riley v. State, 496 A.2d 997, 1013 (Del. 1985), cert. denied, 478 U.S. 1022 (1986); Baynard v. State, No. 107, 1987, slip op. at 4, Horsey, J. (Del. Sept. 14, 1987) (ORDER), disposition reported at 531 A.2d 627 (Del. 1987) (TABLE); Clark v. State, No. 326, 1986, slip op. at 2, Christie, J. (Del. June 2, 1987)(ORDER), disposition reported at 527 A.2d 281 (Del. 1987) (TABLE).
37. Harris v. Gallaher, C.A. No. 292, slip op. at 2, Longobardi, J. (Del. Super. Feb. 10, 1976), rev’d on other grounds, 375 A.2d 456 (Del. 1977).
38. Glisson v. Glisson, 237 A.2d 393, 397 (Del. 1967); Judah v. State, 234 A.2d 912 (Del. 1967).
39. Gunnip v. Lautenklos, 94 A.2d 712, 716 (Del. Ch. 1953).
40. In re Walt Disney Co. Derivative Litigation, 906 A.2d 27, 52 (Del. 2006); Kahn v. Sullivan, 594 A.2d 48, 59 (Del. 1991); Spiegel v. Buntrock, 571 A.2d 767, 774 (Del. 1990); Citron v. Fairchild Camera & Instrument Corp., 569 A.2d 53, 64 (Del. 1989); Aronson v. Lewis, 473 A.2d 805, 812 (Del. 1984). See also Frantz Mfg. Co. v. EAC Industries, 501 A.2d 401, 407 (Del. 1985); Oberly v. Howard Hughes Medical Inst., 472 A.2d 366 (Del. Ch. 1984).
41. 10 Del. C. § 3921.
41.1. Yellow Book USA, LP v. Dearworth, C.A. No. 2000-08-336, slip op. at 7-8, Welch, J. (Del. Comm. Pls. Oct. 1, 2002).
© 2010 David L. Finger