Opinion ID: 8278
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Striking of the Affidavits

Text: 12 Pedraza contends the district court erred in striking the affidavits of Pedraza and Antonio Marquez. He argues that Marquez's affidavit was admissible either as expert testimony or lay opinion and that his own affidavit qualified as lay opinion. A district court's decision to strike either expert or lay opinion testimony is subject to review under an abuse of discretion standard. Christophersen v. Allied-Signal Corp., 939 F.2d 1106, 1109 (5th Cir.1991), cert. denied, 503 U.S. 912, 112 S.Ct. 1280, 117 L.Ed.2d 506 (1992); Washington v. Department of Transp., 8 F.3d 296, 300 (5th Cir.1993). 13 Under Fed.R.Evid. 702, a witness may be qualified as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education. See Lavespere v. Niagara Mach. & Tool Works, Inc., 910 F.2d 167, 176 (5th Cir.1990), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 114 S.Ct. 171, 126 L.Ed.2d 131 (1993). Pedraza asserts that Marquez is an expert on heroin withdrawals because of his thirty-years experience as a heroin addict. 14 To qualify as an expert, the witness's testimony must both rest[ ] on a reliable foundation and [be] relevant to the task at hand. Pertinent evidence based on scientifically valid principles will satisfy those demands. Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., --- U.S. ----, ----, 113 S.Ct. 2786, 2799, 125 L.Ed.2d 469 (1993). Marquez's affidavit satisfies none of the indicia of reliability outlined in Daubert. Id. at ----, 113 S.Ct. at 2796-99. The district court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to consider the affidavit as expert testimony. 15 Pedraza also argues that both affidavits are admissible as lay opinion under Fed.R.Evid. 701, which provides that a lay witness may testify in the form of opinions or inferences only when they are (1) rationally based on the perception of the witness and (2) helpful to a clear understanding of his testimony or the determination of a fact in issue. Because Marquez possessed no personal knowledge of Pedraza's mental condition, his affidavit does not satisfy the requirements of Rule 701. The general assertions he makes based on his own experience and his admission that each individual's experience varies depending on the person's tolerance and method of treatment for recovery would not be helpful in resolving whether Pedraza was of unsound mind. Pedraza's affidavit similarly fails because he makes only conclusory statements as to why the heroin withdrawal caused him to be of unsound mind. We conclude the district court did not abuse its discretion in striking the affidavits.