CHAP. 9 : OPINION EVIDENCE Prof. JANICKE 2018

OPINIONS ARE GENERALLY INADMISSIBLE RULE 602 REQUIRES ACTUAL “KNOWLEDGE” FOR MOST TYPES OF EVIDENCE KNOWLEDGE MEANS PHYSICAL PERCEPTIONS ONLY! BUT: IN A PRACTICAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, WE NEED SOME ROOM FOR OPINIONS 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence

Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence MEANING OF OPINIONS ABOUT 98% OF WHAT WE THINK WE “KNOW” ARE ACTUALLY OPINIONS (e.g., OUR OWN AGE; ID OF U.S. PRESIDENT OR TEXAS GOVERNOR) OPINIONS CONSIST OF: FACTS LEARNED FROM OTHERS WHO MAY ACTUALLY KNOW THEM CONCLUSIONS WE HAVE DRAWN FROM OUR OWN OBSERVATIONS 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence

THE OPINION OBJECTION : GENERAL RULE: OPINIONS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN EVIDENCE “OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR; IT CALLS FOR AN OPINION” IF JUDGE AGREES, THIS SETS THE STAGE FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS: SOME KINDS OF OPINIONS ARE ADMISSIBLE 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence

OPINIONS OF NON-EXPERTS RULE 701 ALLOWED IF: BASED ON A PHYSICAL PERCEPTION BY THE WITNESS, AND RATIONALLY BASED, AND HELPFUL TO THE TRIER OF FACT [NOTE: YOUR OPINIONS ABOUT YOUR AGE OR FAMOUS OFFICE-HOLDERS WILL NOT QUALIFY!] 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence

Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence “HELPFUL” MEANS THERE’S NO OTHER FEASIBLE WAY TO CONVEY THE WITNESS’S OBSERVATION IF TESTIFYING TO A FEW FACTS CAN CONVEY THE STORY TO THE JURY JUST AS WELL, THE OPINION IS DISALLOWED 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence

EXAMPLES OF ADMISSIBLE LAY OPINIONS HE WAS DRUNK (or SOBER) HE WAS UPSET SHE WAS NERVOUS SHE WAS ANGRY ALL REQUIRE FOUNDATION OF A PHYSICAL PERCEPTION 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence

FURTHER EXAMPLES OF LAY OPINIONS TRADITIONALLY ALLOWED INSANITY or SANITY HANDWRITING BOTH REQUIRE FOUNDATION OF PHYSICAL PERCEPTION 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence

Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence PROBLEMS/CASES 9A 9B 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence

EXPERT OPINIONS: 1ST-HAND PERCEPTION IS NOT REQUIRED (RULE 702) SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE OR EXPERIENCE IN SOME AREA SCIENTIFIC, BUSINESS, ARTS, CAR REPAIR, ETC., ETC. CRIME DETECTION? CONTROVERSIAL 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence

EXPERT’S METHODOLOGY MUST BE RELIABLE CHECKED INITIALLY BY THE JUDGE, AT A HEARING BEFORE TRIAL IF JUDGE FINDS METHODOLOGY WAS RELIABLE, OPINION IS ADMITTED FOR JURY EVALUATION JURY MAY STILL FIND METHODOLOGY WAS UNRELIABLE AND GIVE OPINION NO WEIGHT 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence

VOIR DIRE PRIOR TO GETTING OPINION IS ALMOST UNIVERSAL JUDGE HAS ALREADY DECIDED GOOD METHODOLOGY, BUT: NEED TO CUT THE EXPERT DOWN TO SIZE BEFORE THE JURY DIDN’T CONSIDER X DIDN’T CONSIDER Y CONCEDE FALLIBILITY WITNESS’S MISTAKES MAY HACE OCCURRED IN CARRYING OUT EVEN A GOOD METHODOLOGY 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence

Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence PROBLEMS/CASES 9C Daubert DuPont [see posted materials] 9D 9E 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence

OPINION ON AN ULTIMATE FACT [R. 704] THE OLD CLICHÉ: “INVADING THE PROVINCE OF THE JURY” WAS NONSENSE NOW GENERALLY ALLOWED, IF OTHERWISE IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULES 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence

Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence EXCEPTION (FEDERAL RULE): STATE OF MIND OF CRIMINAL D. THE OLD CLICHÉ SURVIVES HERE USUALLY SANITY IS INVOLVED EXPERT MUST STAY ONE-STEP-BACK TEXAS RULE: DOES NOT HAVE THE EXCEPTION; EXPERT CAN ALWAYS GO TO THE BOTTOM LINE, IF METHODOLOGY IS GOOD Fed. test: Unable to appreciate (i) nature/quality, or (ii) wrongfulness Texas test: Knew act was wrong 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence

COURT-APPOINTED EXPERT WITNESS (RULE 706) GOOD IN THEORY LITIGATORS CRINGE! 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence

ACCEPTING A STIPULATION OF EXPERTISE OF YOUR EXPERT WITNESS? A STIPULATION OF CREDENTIALS IS OFTEN VOLUNTEERED BY ADVERSARY IS SELDOM ACCEPTED WOULD REMOVE DRAMA NOW YOU HAVE NO FEAR OF ANY OBJECTION TO CREDENTIALS 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence

Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence PROBLEMS/CASES Film Clip from My Cousin Vinny on expert witness testimony 2018 Chap. 9 -- Opinion Evidence