Opinion ID: 1720069
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: admissibility of survey of public attitude

Text: Air Southwest offered in evidence the results of a poll or survey of the Attitudes of travelers toward Air Southwest's proposed service, which was taken in October of 1967. We disagree with the trial court's ruling that the survey results were inadmissible. Mr. Walter Bowles, who had directed the survey, testified as to its planning and results. Mr. Bowles has some twenty years of experience in this field and has supervised more than 2,000 surveys of public opinion. Since he testified about this survey at the hearing before the Texas Aeronautics Commission, and there presented his work papers, the CAB carriers had full opportunity to investigate and develop any particular objections they might have as to the methodology and execution of the poll. Three of the interviewers employed by Mr. Bowles were presented to testify in the trial court, and the opponents could have obtained testimony from other interviewers had it been significant to them. Insofar as the poll tested the attitude of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with existing air travel service in these markets, the evidence is admissible whether it is considered to be nonhearsay or within the state of mind exception of the hearsay rule. See, generally: Zeisel, The Uniqueness of Survey Evidence, 45 Cornell L.Q. 322 (1960); Note, 66 Harvard L.Rev. 498 (1953); Anno: Admissibility and weight of surveys or polls or consumer's opinion, recognition, preference, or the like, 76 A. L.R.2d 619 (1961). The more the question and answer move into the realm of opinion or risk the hearsay dangers, the less acceptable they become as evidence. Five hundred air travelers were questioned at airports at the three cities which Air Southwest seeks to serve. They were asked to rate existing airline service as either excellent, good or not so good. Taken literally, this may be considered entirely objectionable as eliciting only opinion of the interviewees, but the response may also be construed as no more than personal attitude towards existing service. When Air Southwest had completed its offer of proof or bill of exception in connection with this survey, the attorney for Trans-Texas sought to cross-examine Mr. Bowles and to refute Air Southwest's contentions as to the weight to be given the survey in the event the appellate court disagreed, as we do, with the trial court's ruling as to its admissibility. The trial court would not permit this and proceeded as if it were the usual type of trial where fact issues are determined at that stage and as though the case would be remanded for new trial in the event of a different holding on the admissibility of evidence. Since substantial evidence review presents only a question of law, and the issues are not constricted by an appeal, the trial court should have allowed rebuttal proof in this instance in order to avoid that possibility of retrial. The denial of this effort to cross-examine and to undermine the weight of the survey prevents us from considering it as support for the Commission's order. Since we find sufficient support elsewhere in the record, there is no need for further development of the evidence as to the survey.