Opinion ID: 836323
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: testimony of dr. blakely

Text: During the remand proceeding, defendant called as an expert witness Dr. Blakely, a neuropsychologist. The state objected to Blakely's testimony on the ground that, because he was not a neurologist, Blakely was not qualified to testify about possible causes of a frontal lobe dysfunction that he had detected in defendant's brain. The trial court sustained the objection. Defendant asserts that Blakely's education and experience qualified him to testify about possible causes of defendant's frontal lobe dysfunction and, accordingly, that the ruling was erroneous. As discussed below, we determine that we must review this assignment of error for errors of law. Applying that standard, we conclude that the court should have allowed Blakely to testify about the possible causes of defendant's frontal lobe dysfunction. Blakely testified at length about an electroencephalogram (EEG), or record of brain waves, obtained during tests that Blakely had administered to defendant and about the results of that test. Blakely described the procedure itself and the meaning of different parts of the EEG. He testified that he had analyzed defendant's EEG and that it exhibited a characteristic pattern indicating frontal lobe dysfunction. Defendant then began to question Blakely about possible causes of frontal lobe dysfunction. The state objected, arguing that, because Blakely was not a neurologist, he was not qualified to render an opinion about possible causes of defendant's encephalographic profile. The trial court allowed defendant to make an offer of proof as to Blakely's qualifications. Among other things, Blakely explained that he and other neuropsychologists routinely render opinions interpreting clinical data and arriving at conclusions about possible etiologies to explain the data. The trial court sustained the state's objection, stating, [I]t seems to me that Dr. Blakely is able to testify as to his findings. To indicate a cause, I think is beyond his expertise. On appeal, defendant argues that Blakely was qualified, under OEC 702, [7] to testify about possible causes of frontal lobe dysfunction and that, accordingly, the trial court erred in sustaining the state's objection on the basis that Blakely was not so qualified. We first consider our standard of review. Defendant argues that the ruling in this case should be reviewed for errors of law, relying on several cases in which he contends that this court reviewed similar rulings for errors of law: Mayor v. Dowsett, 240 Or. 196, 400 P.2d 234 (1965); State v. Stringer, 292 Or. 388, 639 P.2d 1264 (1982); Barrett v. Coast Range Plywood, 294 Or. 641, 661 P.2d 926 (1983); Dyer v. R.E. Christiansen Trucking, Inc., 318 Or. 391, 868 P.2d 1325 (1994). The state argues that the ruling should be reviewed for abuse of discretion, relying on cases in which it contends that this court applied that standard: Myers v. Cessna Aircraft, 275 Or. 501, 553 P.2d 355 (1976); Stringer, 292 Or. 388, 639 P.2d 1264; State v. Carlson, 311 Or. 201, 808 P.2d 1002 (1991). Both parties are partially correct, because the determination whether an expert witness is qualified to testify may involve both the application of legal rules and the exercise of a trial court's discretion. We conclude that we review the particular ruling at issue here for errors of law. We reach that conclusion because an examination of our previous cases shows that, although we have not stated it in so many words, our practice has been to review similar assignments of error for errors of law. This court previously has explained that, with respect to many evidentiary decisions, trial courts possess broad discretion, as long as they exercise discretion within the range of legally permissible decisions. Put another way, if the application of a legal rule governing the admissibility of evidence allows for several legally correct outcomes, a trial court may exercise discretion to choose among those outcomes. For example, in Yundt v. D & D Bowl, Inc., 259 Or. 247, 486 P.2d 553 (1971), the plaintiff assigned error to the trial court's refusal to allow her expert witness, an architect, to testify. This court examined in depth the proper standard of review, explaining, Generally, when appellate courts speak of the discretion of a trial judge, they refer to an exclusive power of free decision not revisable or reviewable by an appellate tribunal in the absence of abuse.    However, this cannot be the meaning of the term `discretion' when a judge is faced with a decision whether to admit certain testimony of an expert after he has been deemed qualified. At this point, he must apply certain principles of law to his decision and he is not free of revision or review. In the case at bar, it was not singularly a matter of discretion but a question of law calling for an application of a rule of law to a particular set of facts. The true meaning of `discretion,' when applied to the exclusion or admission of testimony from an expert witness, would be the power to make a choice from two or more legally valid solutions if supported by the facts.         The decision of the trial judge is legally valid so long as that decision is based on the proper application of a rule of law to the facts involved. Id. at 256-58, 486 P.2d 553. Similarly, in State v. Titus, 328 Or. 475, 481, 982 P.2d 1133 (1999), this court explained that some evidentiary rulings contain both legal and discretionary determinations: [W]e must determine the appropriate standard of review for trial court determinations of relevance under OEC 401a question that previously has not been addressed expressly by this court. In considering that question, we note the distinction between the determination of relevance under OEC 401 and the question of admissibility under OEC 403. A decision to exclude evidence under OEC 403 is reserved to the trial court's discretion.    That is so because application of OEC 403 may allow for more than one legally correct outcome.    For example, in some cases, the record may support either the admission or exclusion of otherwise admissible evidence under OEC 403, and neither result legally would be incorrect.    Relevance determinations under OEC 401, by contrast, can yield only one correct answer; evidence either is relevant or it is not. Under OEC 401, if evidence logically is relevant, a trial court has no discretion to label it as irrelevant.    Accordingly, we conclude that we must review determinations of relevance for errors of law. (Citations omitted.) See also, e.g., State v. Hubbard, 297 Or. 789, 794 n. 2, 688 P.2d 1311 (1984) (term discretion should indicate discretion to make decision from among available choices and should not be buzzword for appellate abdication); Stringer, 292 Or. at 394, 639 P.2d 1264 (if answer to question whether expert testimony will assist jury reasonably could be decided either way, trial court has latitude in admitting evidence). From the foregoing, we glean several principles. First, in the context of evidentiary rulings, discretion, as this court has used that term, refers to the authority of a trial court to choose among several legally correct outcomes. If there is only one legally correct outcome, discretion is an inapplicable concept. It follows that we first must review evidentiary rulings without deference to determine whether proper principles of law were applied correctly. Next, and also without deference, we must determine whether application of those principles leads to only one correct outcome. If there is only one legally correct outcome, and the trial court arrived at that outcome, it did not err; conversely, if the trial court arrived at a different outcome, it did err. Only if we determine that application of the correct legal principles leads to more than one correct outcome do we continue to review whether the trial court abused its discretion in choosing an outcome. [8] If the trial court's decision was within the range of legally correct discretionary choices and produced a permissible, legally correct outcome, the trial court did not abuse its discretion. Accordingly, appellate review of rulings on the admissibility of evidence may involve the application of several standards of review, depending on the particular ruling and assignment of error at issue. With those general principles in mind, we turn to the evidentiary ruling at issue, viz., that Blakely was not qualified by knowledge, skill, experience, training or education to testify about possible causes of frontal lobe dysfunction. OEC 702. [9] We first determine the proper law to apply to that ruling. We have addressed similar questions in several previous cases. In State Highway Com. v. Arnold et al, 218 Or. 43, 60, 341 P.2d 1089 (1959), a condemnation action, the plaintiff sought to introduce expert witness testimony about the value of the property. Holbrook, the proposed expert witness, testified about his education and experience, which included substantial appraisal experience and, in particular, experience appraising cinder cones, the type of property at issue. Id. at 60-63, 341 P.2d 1089. The trial court concluded that Holbrook was not qualified as an expert: `Oh, I don't believe this man is qualified to testify as an expert. He knows nothing of the lands of Klamath County or in this vicinity. The fact he sold a piece of property or he appraised a piece of property for the petroleum company down here in the City of Klamath Falls sometime ago, that certainly isn't qualification. Whatever he knows as to the intricate makeup of these cinders he got from the State of Oregon, it is hearsay evidence as far as he is concerned. He can testify as an ordinary witness but not as an expert.'      `I don't think he has qualified as a mineral expert any place by this testimony. I don't think he has ever tried to qualify himself as a mineral expert. In this locality he has examined or he has appraised a piece of property for the General Petroleum Company.' Id. at 63-64, 341 P.2d 1089. This court consider[ed] the test for determining whether a witness qualifies as an expert for the purpose of testifying as to the value of property. Id. at 64, 341 P.2d 1089. The court arrived at the following principle to be applied to the determination whether an expert is qualified to testify about appraisal: [T]here is such `generalized knowledge' [of valuation processes or appraisal methods] and    it is to be weighed in determining whether the witness qualifies as an expert. Id. at 65, 341 P.2d 1089. The court then reviewed the evidence of Holbrook's education and experience in light of the particular testimony sought, concluding: We are of the opinion that Mr. Holbrook should have been permitted to testify as an expert and that the trial court's refusal to permit him to do so constitutes reversible error. The trial judge stated that the witness had not `qualified as a mineral expert.' It was not necessary for him to do so. He was called to give testimony with respect to the value of the condemned property. To establish such value it was not necessary that he have scientific knowledge of the minerals which were being taken. Id. at 64, 341 P.2d 1089. Similarly, in Brown et ux v. Eakins, 220 Or. 122, 348 P.2d 1116 (1960), the court examined the training and experience of the witness in light of the testimony sought. See id. at 124-25, 348 P.2d 1116 (concluding that [t]he evidence amply qualifies [the witness] to give an opinion on the cause of fires generally and the cause of this particular fire). In Wulff v. Sprouse-Reitz Co., Inc., 262 Or. 293, 498 P.2d 766 (1972), the defendants contended that the trial court had erred by allowing the plaintiffs' expert witness, a chemical engineer, to testify about whether the plaintiffs' electric blanket could have caused a fire. This court stated: We gather from the questions asked Dr. Anderson by defendants' counsel in aid of objecting to his qualifications that at the time of trial they did not feel he was qualified as an expert because he had no specific experience in the manufacture of electric blankets.    Defendants' objection to his qualification was: `Well, I would on the basis of the man's testimony now object to his answering the question on what caused this blanket or whatever the problem was with the blanket in glowing and so forth, on the ground I don't think he qualified from the electrical standpoint and I think he so indicated.' Id. at 304-05, 498 P.2d 766. This court reviewed the witness's education and experience and then stated: Even though the witness was a chemical engineer and not an electrical engineer, he had sufficient training, study, background, and experience to qualify as an expert witness. He does not necessarily have to be an expert in the specific item under question in a products liability case. Whether he is the best expert witness on the specific subject or what credibility will be given to the witness's testimony are matters that go to the weight of his testimony and not to his qualification. Id. at 305, 498 P.2d 766. This court held that the trial court did not err in allowing the witness to testify as an expert. Id. at 306, 498 P.2d 766. See also Dyer, 318 Or. at 398-99, 868 P.2d 1325 (examining expert's qualification to testify about point of impact); Barrett, 294 Or. at 649, 661 P.2d 926 (examining experts' qualification to testify about psychological condition); Myers, 275 Or. at 519-21, 553 P.2d 355 (observing [n]o expert is competent to express an opinion on every subject; examining expert's qualification to testify about cause of airplane crash); Meyer v. Harvey Aluminum, 263 Or. 487, 489, 501 P.2d 795 (1972) (The capacity [to testify] is in every case a relative one, i.e., relative to the topic about which the person is asked to make his statement.; examining expert's qualification to testify about cause of damage to fruit) (internal quotation marks omitted). Those cases demonstrate that this court reviews without deference for errors of law whether a trial court properly applied OEC 702 to decide whether an expert is qualified to give testimony relative to a particular topic, because that determination is a question of the application of law. Once that threshold is satisfied, it is for the factfinder to ascribe the proper weight to an expert's testimony. In this case, the basis for the trial court's ruling was that, because Blakely lacked a medical degree, he was not qualified to testify about the possible causes of defendant's frontal lobe dysfunction. [10] This court previously has addressed whether a particular degree or field of practice is a necessary prerequisite to testimony about a particular topic. For example, this court has held that a trial court should not have excluded the testimony of medical doctors about a psychological diagnosis known as functional overlay on the grounds that the witnesses were not psychologists. Barrett, 294 Or. at 649, 661 P.2d 926. Similarly, in Sandow v. Weyerhaeuser Co., 252 Or. 377, 449 P.2d 426 (1969), this court held that the trial court erred in refusing to admit testimony from a clinical psychologist that the plaintiff's head injury had caused his emotional disturbance on the ground that the witness was not a medical doctor. As this court observed in Sandow, a properly-qualified clinical psychologist is competent to testify concerning a person's mental and emotional condition despite his not having medical training. Id. at 384, 449 P.2d 426. A medical degree is not a necessary predicate to finding an expert witness qualified to testify about medical knowledge, assuming that witness otherwise is qualified to do so. It follows that, in this case, Blakely's lack of a medical degree similarly should not have been the determinative factor in the decision whether to admit his testimony. Proper application of OEC 702 requires assessment of the particular qualifications of each witness. We do not assume a disqualification from the lack of a particular educational or professional degree. Accordingly, and similar to our analysis in Sandow, 252 Or. at 384, 449 P.2d 426, if Blakely was a properly qualified clinical psychologist, it was error not to permit him to testify about the possible causes of defendant's frontal lobe dysfunction. All that remains is to review Blakely's testimony about his qualifications to determine if he was in fact a properly qualified clinical psychologist. The record demonstrates that Blakely had special training and knowledge relating to, and thus was qualified to testify about, the possible causes of frontal lobe dysfunction. Blakely testified that he holds a Ph.D. in physiological psychology, has done postdoctoral work in neuroscience, including neuropathology, and has taken advanced workshops including several at Harvard Medical School. He has taught neuroanatomy at the University of California, among other places, and has written a treatise on neuroanatomy. He has worked in the field of electroencephalography for more than 20 years, specializing in electroencephalographic measurement and interpretation, and also performs neuropsychological evaluation. He belongs to several professional organizations, including the International Neuropsychological Association. He has published several papers, including a monograph on the neuropsychological basis of crime, and articles in peer-reviewed journals. Members of his field routinely render interpretive conclusions, and Blakely has rendered opinions and conclusions based on his data in the past, including as part of civil and criminal proceedings. That combination of education and experience demonstrated that Blakely had the requisite knowledge to testify helpfully about the possible causes of defendant's frontal lobe dysfunction. The trial court erred in concluding otherwise.