Opinion ID: 2349410
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Basis of Expert's Opinion

Text: In addition to offering the reports as substantive evidence (see Part II C, infra ) appellant also offered testimony concerning the contents of the reports to explain the basis of her expert's opinion. Dr. Stephen Spivak, a professor in the Department of Textile and Consumer Economics at the University of Maryland, testified that the nightgown was defective and unreasonably dangerous due to its flammability characteristics, and that the 1953 Federal standard was inadequate for the protection of consumers. In attempting to explain the basis of his opinions, Dr. Spivak sought to utilize data taken from the reports. He testified concerning the statutory mandate for the preparation of the reports and that the data contained within the reports was recognized as reliable and was in fact relied upon by him and by other experts in the field. The trial judge ruled that testimony concerning the data contained in the reports was inadmissible as hearsay. The proffered evidence was indeed hearsay, but was admissible for the limited purpose of explaining the basis for the expert's opinion. In Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. Nothstein, 300 Md. 667, 679, 480 A.2d 807 (1984), Judge Smith carefully reviewed the history and development of this rule of evidence, and quoted as follows from D. Binder, Hearsay Handbook § 1.01, at 451 (2d ed. 1983): The federal courts and a majority of state courts permit an expert witness to express an opinion that is based, in part, on hearsay of a kind that is customarily relied on by experts in that particular business, profession, or occupation. However, the hearsay itself is not admissible as substantive evidence. It is only admissible to explain the basis of the expert's opinion. In other words, the trier of fact is allowed to give credence to an expert's opinion that is based on the assumption that certain hearsay is true, but is not allowed to give credence to the hearsay itself. This rule has long been accepted in Maryland. Consol. Mech. Contractors v. Ball, 263 Md. 328, 283 A.2d 154 (1971); Airlift, Ltd. v. Bd. of Co. Comm'rs, 262 Md. 368, 278 A.2d 244 (1971); Baltimore & O.R.R. v. Hammond, 128 Md. 237, 97 A. 532 (1916); Baltimore City v. Hurlock, 113 Md. 674, 78 A. 558 (1910). Appellant was entitled to elicit from her expert the reasons for his opinion, and having laid a proper foundation for the introduction of statistical information contained in the reports, the evidence should have been admitted.