Opinion ID: 2451885
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: relevancy of witnesses

Text: For her last point, the appellant argues that it was error to admit the testimony of Evelyn Green and Mr. Emmett Presley, a teacher at Arkansas State University in the field of social work who was asked to oversee the appellant's visits with the twins in Jonesboro. Ms. Green testified to communication problems with the appellant, her indecisiveness, and her move from Michigan to Ohio without notice. Mr. Presley testified that a male friend accompanied the appellant on one visitation. According to appellant, both witnesses' testimony was prejudicial and irrelevant We disagree. First, their testimony was especially relevant to the question of arranging the appellant's visits with the twins and to how the visits actually transpired since both people were directly involved in that process. A trial court's ruling on the relevancy of evidence will not be reversed absent an abuse of discretion. Farmers Bank v. Perry, 301 Ark. 547, 787 S.W.2d 645 (1990). Here, we discern no such abuse. Secondly, we note that while the probate judge conceded that all of the Green/Presley testimony might not be relevant, he added that he could separate any chaff from the wheat. Even if some chaff was admitted into evidence, we have held that in a bench trial the trial judge is capable of evaluating the evidence, and the judgment will stand unless all of the competent evidence is insufficient to support the judgment or the incompetent evidence induced an essential finding that would not otherwise have been made. See Rich Mountain Elec. Coop. v. Revels, 311 Ark. 1, 841 S.W.2d 151 (1992); Butler v. Dowdy, 304 Ark. 481, 803 S.W.2d 534 (1991). We hold that neither circumstance exists in this case. Affirmed.