Opinion ID: 2056376
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: competency of expert witness

Text: Mr. McGinley testified that he was president of a local bank and familiar with local real estate values and had been familiar with the house in question for fifteen years, although he had not been inside it since substantial remodeling had occurred to the interior. He was permitted to express an opinion as to the value of the house immediately prior to the fire and immediately thereafter, over Defendant's objection that he was incompetent by reason of his admission that he had not seen the interior of the house immediately prior to the fire. The competency of a witness to testify as an expert is a matter to be determined by the trial court judge and subject to his broad discretion. Lineback v. State, (1973) 260 Ind. 503, 301 N.E.2d 636; Tyler v. State, (1968) 250 Ind. 419, 236 N.E.2d 815. His competency is to be determined by his knowledge of the subject matter generally, whereas his knowledge of the specific subject of the inquiry goes to the weight to be accorded to his opinion. We see no error in the Court's having permitted the witness to testify, although the credibility of his opinion might be subject to considerable scrutiny.