Opinion ID: 1684454
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: other excluded evidence

Text: LIGA also asserts the courts below erred in excluding the testimony of Mr. William Comben, Mr. William Coffey, and certain reports prepared by them. Citing Borer, LIGA contends it should have been allowed to present this testimony and the reports as other evidence of Guaranty's neglect to properly qualify borrowers under the LoanPower program. As reported by the court of appeal, Comben, who was qualified as an expert in consumer lending, prepared two reports based on his review of the credit reports obtained by Lieux Chevrolet and other records retained by Guaranty and Lieux Chevrolet. The court of appeal characterized these reports as a synopsis of the excluded credit reports. Mr. Coffey reviewed each borrower's file at Guaranty, Lieux, and CPI as well. From this review he compiled Loan Audit Sheets on each loan, which summarized the information contained in both the excluded documents and other admissible evidence. LIGA argued it was error to exclude testimony of the information contained in the excluded documents when the statute merely prohibits the introduction of the documents themselves. The court of appeal disallowed the introduction of these reports, as well as the testimony by each of these witnesses with respect to their findings on each loan, on the basis that LIGA could not do indirectly what it could not do directly. Given our opinion previously stated concerning the applicability of § 618(A) to the documents in question, this evidence should not be excluded. The testimony and reports LIGA intends to introduce is based on evidence we have held to be admissible. Accordingly, the courts below should have allowed this evidence to be admitted.