Opinion ID: 1794141
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 14

Heading: Summary Documents

Text: The district also contends that the trial court erred in receiving into evidence exhibits consisting of written summaries of the testimony given by the two appraisers called by Westgate. One of the questioned exhibits is a one-page summary of Westgate's appraiser testifying as outlined in subparts (i) and (ii) above. The summary details this appraiser's opinion as to value in terms of the pool facilities and the land, the value of the remainder both before and after the taking, the damages to the remainder, and the total taking damages. The other questioned exhibit is a single-page cover letter from the other Westgate appraiser to Westgate's counsel, which summarizes the opinions that the appraiser expressed at trial as to the value of the property before the taking, the value of the part taken, the value of the remainder before the taking, the value of the remainder after the taking, the damages to the remainder, and the total compensation due Westgate. The district urges that the summaries constituted inadmissible and prejudicial hearsay. Neb. Evid. R. 801, Neb.Rev.Stat. § 27-801(3) (Reissue 1995), defines hearsay as a statement, other than one made by the declarant while testifying at the trial or hearing, offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted. While the statements contained in the written summaries substantially duplicated certain of the oral testimony given at trial by Westgate's appraisers, it cannot be said that the statements contained in the summaries were themselves made at trial. Inasmuch as the statements contained in the summaries were offered to prove the truth of the matters asserted therein, the summaries constituted hearsay and were improperly admitted. See, Howells Elevator v. Stanco Farm Supply Co., 235 Neb. 456, 455 N.W.2d 777 (1990) (written estimate of repair damage was hearsay); Belitz v. Suhr, 208 Neb. 280, 303 N.W.2d 284 (1981) (statements of third parties in officer's report hearsay). As explained by the Virginia Supreme Court, the admission of evidence of this type is prejudicially erroneous because during its deliberations, the jury might place more weight on written summaries than on its collective recollection of the actual testimony. Norfolk and Western Ry. Co. v. Puryear, 250 Va. 559, 463 S.E.2d 442 (1995). Accord Dept. of Transp. v. Benton, 214 Ga. App. 221, 447 S.E.2d 159 (1994).