Opinion ID: 743644
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Evidentiary challenges to expert testimony

Text: 22 The Navajo contest the district court's admission of Hopi expert Dr. John Workman's testimony regarding the fair value of Navajo grazing (as opposed to agricultural growth) on the JUA. They argue that Workman lacked sufficient foundation to support his testimony, since he is not a real estate appraiser but an economist. They further contend that his methodology did not satisfy the test for expert scientific testimony in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 U.S. 579, 113 S.Ct. 2786, 125 L.Ed.2d 469 (1993). We review a decision to admit expert testimony for abuse of discretion. Dang Vang v. Vang Xiong X. Toyed, 944 F.2d 476, 480 (9th Cir.1991). A trial court has broad discretion to admit and exclude expert testimony [under Fed.R.Evid. 702] and its decision will be sustained unless it is 'manifestly erroneous. ' Id. (citation omitted). 23 The court was well within its discretion to conclude that Dr. Workman is qualified to offer an opinion regarding the fair value of Navajo grazing. Dr. Workman has been a professor of Range Economics for twenty-five years, teaching courses in rangeland appraisal and range economic analysis. He has written a textbook on range economics and dozens of peer-reviewed publications on subjects related to his testimony. He has been qualified as an expert on range economics in a case where he gave similar valuation testimony. See White Mountain Apache Tribe v. United States, 11 Cl.Ct. 614, 665-66 (1987) (qualifying Dr. Workman as an expert in appraisal and range management and characterizing his proposed measure of damages as especially persuasive), aff'd, 5 F.3d 1506 (Fed.Cir.1993), cert. denied, 511 U.S. 1030, 114 S.Ct. 1538, 128 L.Ed.2d 191 (1994). 24 The district court thoughtfully examined the methodology and opinion of each expert, and accepted Dr. Workman's measure of damages only after making appropriate downward adjustments. The Navajo's reliance on Daubert is misplaced because Dr. Workman's testimony derives from his relatively straightforward application of range economics, rather than on a novel scientific theory. See Dang Vang, 944 F.2d at 482. 25 The Navajo also challenge the district court's decision to admit testimony from Hopi expert Robert Francy, an appraiser, on the value of corn grown on the JUA. Francy formulated his opinion from what others told him about corn prices. The Navajo argue that this constituted an improper use of inadmissible hearsay. However, the Navajo failed to raise any timely, specific hearsay objection to the expert's testimony and thus waived their right to assign error on appeal. See Fed.R.Evid. 103. The record, moreover, reveals that no statements from third parties were admitted for their truth. The third party statements only provided the Hopi expert with background information about corn sales, from which he fashioned his testimony. Such reliance is permissible, since experts in the field, i.e. appraisers, regularly go to third parties for sales figures, as the Hopi expert did here. See Fed.R.Evid. 703. 26