Opinion ID: 1977450
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Expert Testimony before the Board

Text: The Timpsons also contend that the Superior Court erred in crediting the expert testimony of the Murphys' wetlands expert (Christopher Mason). The board had effectively rejected Mr. Mason's testimony in deciding that it could not conclusively determine whether or not there were 80,000 square feet of buildable land in lot No. 64 in 1992. The Timpsons assert that it was the board's prerogative to make credibility determinations concerning expert witnesses and that the Superior Court improperly substituted its judgment for that of the board. While it is generally true that there is no talismanic significance to expert testimony [and it] may be accepted or rejected by the trier of fact, Restivo v. Lynch, 707 A.2d 663, 671 (R.I.1998), it is also true that, if expert testimony before a zoning board is competent, uncontradicted, and unimpeached, it would be an abuse of discretion for a zoning board to reject such testimony. See Bonitati Bros., Inc. v. Zoning Board of Review of Cranston, 99 R.I. 49, 55, 205 A.2d 363, 366-67 (1964). [6] Significantly, the record in this case discloses that Mr. Mason's expert opinion was based on numerous government studies and photographs from the years before and after 1992. Neither counsel for the Timpsons nor the members of the board themselves contradicted or impeached Mr. Mason's testimony. No member of the zoning board commented on the credibility of Mr. Mason's testimony at any time during the hearing. It is our opinion that the Superior Court correctly ruled that the zoning board's rejection of Mr. Mason's undisputed expert testimony was clearly erroneous. Taking into consideration Mr. Mason's testimony, it is clear that lot No. 64 contained less than 80,000 square feet of land suitable for development in 1992 and therefore did not satisfy the requirement for a lot in an R-80 district.