Opinion ID: 1161683
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: admission of business records

Text: The defendants complain certain business records were admitted without a proper foundation at trial. The defendants argue that if business records are excluded, the evidence was insufficient to sustain the conviction. The business records are Intrust Bank records indicating that an account was established in the name of Smith Industries and monthly statements of that account. In addition, there are Shelter Insurance records which include David Gault's application for benefits, Dr. Loeb's treatment records of David and Adam Gault, and calendars indicating the dates and amounts of insurance payouts. Timely and specific objections to the admission of these records were made at trial. K.S.A. 60-460(m) defines the business records exempted from the hearsay rule as: Writings offered as memoranda or records of acts, conditions or events to prove the facts stated therein, if the judge finds that (1) they were made in the regular course of a business at or about the time of the act, condition or event recorded and (2) the sources of information from which made and the method and circumstances of their preparation were such as to indicate their trustworthiness. K.S.A. 60-460(m) provides that the trial court determines whether the source of information, method, and time of preparation reflect trustworthiness. State v. Beasley, 205 Kan. 253, 257, 469 P.2d 453 (1970), cert. denied 401 U.S. 919, 27 L. Ed.2d 821, 91 S. Ct. 903, (1971). The determination of the presence of factors concerning admissibility of business records is within the trial court's discretion. See Schraft v. Leis, 236 Kan. 28, 43, 686 P.2d 865 (1984).