Opinion ID: 1895384
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: relevant evidence and testimony by experts

Text: Copple believes that the district court committed reversible error by admitting testimony of Ray Hill, Richard Keith, Richard Obert, and John Maenner, contending that testimony from those witnesses was not relevant. Hill testified about the weakened condition of the Lincoln real estate market in terms of available vacant lots. Keith expressed his opinion concerning the market value of the Stettinger land and the feasibility of its development. Obert and Maenner testified about the customary manner in which a developer was paid for any profit realized on a real estate development. All that testimony has some tendency to establish the fact that the payments to Marvin Copple were, more probably, subterfuge to siphon funds from Commonwealth and were thefts rather than earned commissions or profits from a legitimate real estate transaction. Such testimony was relevant and admissible. See Neb.Evid.R. 401. The district court did not abuse its discretion in admitting testimony from the witnesses mentioned. See State v. Bostwick, supra . Next, Copple complains that neither Obert nor Maenner was qualified to testify as an expert witness. If scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge will assist the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue, a witness qualified as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education, may testify thereto in the form of an opinion or otherwise. Neb.Evid.R. 702 (Neb.Rev.Stat. § 27-702 (Reissue 1985)). Obert was a graduate accountant, actively engaged in the mortgage banking business and financing for real estate developers. Maenner held a degree in business administration, was a licensed realtor in Nebraska and two other states, and was engaged in the real estate subdivision development business. Whether a witness is qualified as an expert is a preliminary question for a trial court. Neb. Evid.R. 104(1). Determination of a witness' qualification as an expert is a matter within the sound discretion of a trial court, whose ruling will be upheld unless such ruling constitutes an abuse of discretion. See Schmidt v. J.C. Robinson Seed Co., 220 Neb. 344, 370 N.W.2d 103 (1985). We find no abuse of discretion by the district court in its determination that Obert and Maenner were qualified as expert witnesses. Copple alludes to other possible errors concerning the trial court's ruling on some of his objections, which we find are at least 593 in number, but does not specify which rulings prejudically affected any substantial right of Copple. See Neb. Evid.R. 103(1) (Neb.Rev.Stat. § 27-103(1) (Reissue 1985)). In order that assignments of error as to the admission or rejection of evidence may be considered, the Supreme Court requires that appropriate reference be made to the specific evidence against which objection is urged. Pulliam v. State, 167 Neb. 614, 94 N.W.2d 51 (1959). A party who claims error in a proceeding is required to point out the factual and legal basis that shows the error. Lemmon v. State, 173 Neb. 387, 391, 113 N.W.2d 525, 528 (1962). We will not speculate about which rulings of the district court Copple contends are erroneous. See Bohaty v. Briard, 219 Neb. 42, 361 N.W.2d 502 (1985). See, also, Fee v. Fee, 223 Neb. 128, 134, 388 N.W.2d 122, 126 (1986) (To be considered by this court, errors must be assigned and discussed in the brief of the one claiming that prejudicial error has occurred. See Neb.Ct.R. of Prac. 9D(1)d (rev. 1983)).