Opinion ID: 1854952
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Expert Testimony and Hypothetical Questions

Text: Where there are questions which inexperienced jurors are not likely to decide correctly, there is a necessity to admit opinion and conclusions of those specially skilled or experienced in the particular field; that is, experts who can give better opinions on a given state of facts. Kirkland v. State, 21 Ala.App. 348, 108 So. 262 (1926). Whether a witness is shown to possess the requisite qualifications of an expert is a preliminary question largely within the discretion of the trial court. Kitchens v. State, 31 Ala.App. 239, 14 So. 2d 739 (1943); Brown v. Mobile Electric Co., 207 Ala. 61, 91 So. 802 (1921). The appellate court will not reverse its ruling unless there has been an abuse of that discretion. Brown, supra ; Lucy v. State, 49 Ala.App. 116, 269 So.2d 134 (1972); Colvin v. State, 32 Ala.App. 142, 22 So.2d 544 (1945). Generally an expert can give an opinion based on personal knowledge, or based on a hypothetical question, or on a combination of hypothetical question and facts within his own knowledge. If the expert bases his opinion on his personal knowledge, he must first testify to the facts within his own knowledge upon which the opinion is based. Brown . The criterion for admission of expert testimony is that the witness, by study, practice, experience, or observation as to the particular subject, should have acquired a knowledge beyond that of ordinary witnesses. Kitchens, supra; Thomas v. State, 249 Ala. 358, 31 So.2d 71 (1947). An expert may not give an opinion that invades the field of common knowledge. Ala. Great So. R.R. v. Bishop, 265 Ala. 118, 89 So.2d 738 (1956). If the subject is within the common experience of laymen, if it can be intelligently described and understood by them, and if they can form reasonable opinions, expert testimony is not to be allowed. Experts cannot base opinions on conflicting testimony of witnesses, as this would invade the province of the jury in evaluating credibility. In Alabama an expert is allowed to testify whether certain facts could or would cause a result, but not whether they actually did. Carpenter v. Walker, 170 Ala. 659, 54 So. 60 (1910). A limitation is that an expert is not allowed to testify as to the relative positions of the parties at the time a shot is fired. Crawford v. State, 262 Ala. 191, 78 So.2d 291 (1954); McPhearson v. State, 271 Ala. 533, 125 So.2d 709 (1960); Rigell v. State, 8 Ala.App. 46, 62 So. 977 (1913); Roden v. State, 13 Ala.App. 105, 69 So. 366 (1915); Uldric v. State, 43 Ala.App. 477, 192 So.2d 736 (1966); Padgett v. State, 49 Ala.App. 130, 269 So.2d 147 (1972). The jury is equally competent to examine the wounds and draw conclusions as to the relative positions of the parties. In Gipson v. State, 262 Ala. 229, 78 So.2d 293 (1955), an expert was allowed to give an opinion that after the deceased was shot, he was knocked backward and fell on a bed. Kitchens stands for the proposition that the nature of a wound or injury, its probable cause and effect can be shown by expert medical witnesses or witnesses shown to be familiar with such questions, as a sheriff, an undertaker, or others showing competency. An expert may also give an opinion in response to a hypothetical question; the question must embrace facts supported by the evidence and relating to the matter upon which the expert opinion is sought. The facts may be proven or assumed; the hypothetical question is inadmissible if the factual foundation is nebulous. For the purpose of the question, the facts are assumed to be true. The truth of the facts assumed is for the jury; it must determine whether the basis upon which the hypothetical rests has been established. An accurate statement of Alabama law is found in Harden v. State, 26 Ala.App. 94, 155 So. 719 (1933), where the general rule was stated that an expert may give an opinion upon relevant matters under inquiry and he may base that opinion solely upon a hypothetical question without any personal knowledge of the matter inquired about. The hypothetical question should properly embrace only the facts in evidence and not certain matters as to which there is no evidence tending to support it. Rational inferences that may be drawn from testimony, as well as the positive and direct testimony itself, may form the basis for the question. Where the expert is not acquainted with the facts, which are in dispute, he may not express an opinion, but may be examined hypothetically. Benefit Ass'n of Ry. Employees v. Armbruster, 217 Ala. 282, 116 So. 164 (1928). An objection should be sustained where the hypothetical question invades the province of the jury as to a material issue in the case. Ledbetter Johnson Co. v. Hawkins, 267 Ala. 458, 103 So.2d 748 (1958). In answering a hypothetical question, it is always permissible for an expert to use information gained from an examination, where such information has been testified to before the jury. In general, the proper form of a hypothetical question asked of an expert, when based on evidence in the case, rests largely on the sound discretion of the trial court, and that court will not be put in error unless the discretion is abused. The State is on point in arguing that the qualification of expert witnesses and the form of hypothetical questions are matters within the discretion of the trial court judge. If the requisite predicate is laid for the expert testimony, and if the expert is duly qualified, he can give an opinion as to the cause of a wound and its effect. Smith v. State, 282 Ala. 268, 210 So.2d 826 (1968). Gipson is directly on point; an expert could testify that a wound, occurring as it did, would cause the victim to be knocked backward. It is but the expression of the result of an accumulation of circumstances of which he has expert knowledge at 298. As White points out, the relative positions of the parties before a shot is fired is not a proper subject for expert testimony; the effect of a shot is. The force and value of the expert's opinion is, of course, open to be combatted by other proof, that the opinion was worthless, and its value was for the jury to determine, in connection with all the evidence. White v. State, 133 Ala. 122, 32 So. 139 (1902).