Opinion ID: 6985051
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Text: The Costantinos final argument is that the admission of the two articles from the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology also requires reversal. Once again, plaintiffs argue lack of proper foundation. First, they complain that because Dr. Her-zog testified that he had not seen Dr. James Nocon’s article until shortly before testifying about it, he could not have “relied” upon that article as required by Rule 803(18). Second, they protest that there was no testimony establishing the authoritativeness of either Dr. Nocon’s article, or the second article written by obstetrics professor Robert Gherman of the University of Southern California. We will not tarry long on these arguments. It is not essential that a testifying expert rely on a learned treatise on direct examination. If he did not, a sufficient foundation is laid if the treatise is “called to the attention of [the] expert upon-cross examination.” Fed.R.Evid. 803(18). The essential notion is that the jury enjoys “explanation, context and perspective” on the treatise’s contents. Mueller & Kirkpatrick, Evidence § 8.52, 998. That is exactly what happened on defense counsel’s cross-examination of Dr. Herzog. As to authoritativeness, Dr. Herzog testified that the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology is “probably the most reputable journal in our field and if it’s accepted for publication, then we know it’s quality information being presented.” Plaintiffs’ own expert, Dr. Nathanson, backed Dr. Herzog on this point, testifying that articles are published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology only after “other obstetricians and gynecologists ... review them for accuracy and believability.” The district court was properly satisfied with this foundation. Even if this testimony were insufficient to establish a foundation for the two challenged articles, any error was harmless. Plaintiffs do not cite any specific prejudice arising from presentation of Dr. Nocon’s article. And the essential point of Dr. Gherman’s article was that Erb’s Palsy can be caused even without excessive traction being applied to the fetal head. There was ample other evidence in support of this very proposition, including the ACOG video. See Paradise v. CCI Warden, 136 F.3d 331, 338 (2d Cir.1998) (admission of potentially objectionable testimony harmless where other evidence proved issue). The admission of the two articles from the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology does not warrant reversal.