Opinion ID: 2059709
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: exclusion from the category of expert

Text: Defendants claim that the trial court improperly and prejudicially excluded their witness David Redman from the list of expert witnesses discussed by the court in its charge. Mr. Redman worked with the Farmer's Home Administration as a county supervisor, and was approached by defendants for financing to purchase plaintiffs' farm. Defendants objected to his name being excluded from the category of expert witnesses, and the court countered that the reason it did not include Mr. Redman's name was because his opinion was never sought or given on any issue in the case. He did, however, testify at length on what he observed to be the condition of the farm prior to it being leased to defendants. The question of competency of an expert witness is within the trial court's discretion and will not be disturbed on appeal unless clearly erroneous. Northern Terminals, Inc. v. Smith Grocery & Variety, Inc., 138 Vt. 389, 392, 418 A.2d 22, 24 (1980). Mr. Redman's entire testimony was that of a fact witness. There was no opinion testimony offered. Clearly the court acted within its discretion in not listing Mr. Redman as an expert. Moreover, if it was erroneous for the court to exclude Mr. Redman's name from the list of experts, the defendants have not demonstrated any possible prejudice to their case. Here, the education and background of the witness had been made known to the jury, and the court properly charged the jury regarding the qualifications of experts and the credibility and weight to be given their testimony. The court's decision to leave Mr. Redman's name out of the list, if error, was not reversible error under the circumstances of this case. See V.R.C.P. 61.