Opinion ID: 556426
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Scientific Techniques Reviewed in Paoli and This Case

Text: 56 In Paoli, we stated that we could not review, and therefore could not affirm, defendants' critiques of the scientific data and techniques of most of the plaintiffs' experts (including Shubin) under Fed.R.Evid. 702 because defendants had not provided adequate record development and fact finding for an informed assessment. Consequently, we concluded that to the extent that the summary judgment was based upon putative but unspoken exclusionary rulings, we must reverse and remand. Paoli, 916 F.2d at 859. 57 We find Conrail's critique of Shubin's scientific technique to be comparably inadequate. Therefore, as in Paoli, we will also reverse and remand on this issue. However, because in this case Conrail did discuss at somewhat greater length its reasons for criticizing Shubin's scientific technique, we will examine briefly our discussion of this issue in both Paoli and DeLuca. 58 In Paoli, the district court excluded Nicholson's testimony based on meta-analysis 7 by applying Fed.R.Evid. 702 and the standard for analyzing novel scientific evidence set forth by this court in United States v. Downing, 753 F.2d 1224 (3d Cir.1985). Downing provides a flexible, three-pronged, test for determining whether or not expert testimony that applies an allegedly unreliable technique or methodology is unhelpful and therefore inadmissible under Fed.R.Evid. 702. DeLuca, 911 F.2d at 954. 59 Rule 702 requires that a district court ruling upon the admission of (novel) scientific evidence, i.e., evidence whose scientific fundaments are not suitable candidates for judicial notice, conduct a preliminary inquiry focusing on (1) the soundness and reliability of the process or technique used in generating the evidence; (2) the possibility that admitting the evidence would overwhelm, confuse, or mislead the jury, and (3) the proffered connection between the scientific research or test result to be presented, and particular disputed factual issues in the case. 60 Downing, 753 F.2d at 1237. 61 The Paoli defendants argued that Nicholson's use of the meta-analysis technique was too unreliable to be admitted by the court. Therefore, we accepted the district court's conclusion in Paoli that Nicholson's application of meta-analysis should be examined as a scientific technique under Downing. Paoli, 916 F.2d at 857. 62 In this case, Conrail's critique of Shubin's testimony under the Downing standard emphasized more the questionable reliability and trustworthiness of Shubin's evidence instead of what Conrail considered to be Shubin's novel scientific opinion. According to our evidentiary analysis in DeLuca, it would be unduly restrictive to apply the Downing standard only to novel scientific evidence, although we note that wide-spread use of a particular methodology, or the fact that the methodology is generally accepted, is evidence that the methodology is sound and reliable within the meaning of the first prong of the Downing analysis. Paoli, 916 F.2d at 856 n. 34. Accordingly, Downing provides guidelines for determining whether scientific evidence is sufficiently trustworthy to be admitted when the helpfulness standard cannot be applied through judicial notice. DeLuca, 911 F.2d at 955 n. 13. 63 Therefore, we accept Conrail's more liberal use of the Downing standard. However, we cannot agree, without further information, that Shubin's testimony should be excluded because of it for the reasons that we cited in Paoli. Moreover, we cannot agree that the district court conducted a Downing-type evaluation of Shubin's testimony in this case simply because the court had the appropriate information (such as scientific affidavits and literature) before it. Conrail cannot assume, in the absence of an opinion in this case, that the district court would have excluded Shubin's testimony under Fed.R.Evid. 702 simply because the issue had now been raised. 64 Furthermore, we believe that Shubin used traditional methods to form his opinion by reviewing a variety of background factors that are normally investigated in the medical profession, including: Hines' histories of other exposures to toxins, drugs, and alcohol, the length of his residences, employment experience, PCB-related symptoms, blood tests, liver function tests, immunological tests, gas chromatograph tracings, a number of reports, as well as all of the scientific literature that indicates that PCBs can be associated with severe health problems, including cancer. Thus, even though Shubin's opinion could be considered to be novel, it appears that, under the Downing standard, his methods were not.