Opinion ID: 1427108
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: character as an essential element

Text: When character is itself an essential element of the charge, claim or defense, it may be proved by evidence of specific instances of conduct. ER 405(b). The State argues petitioner testified that when her husband was shot, she was neither the aggressor nor a mutual combatant. Thus, it is urged, petitioner injected her character into the case and made her prior aggressive acts admissible under ER 405(b). While the Court of Appeals found the prior acts admissible under this evidentiary rule it is not clear whether the appellate court believed character was an essential element in the case or merely confused the proper method of rebutting a pertinent trait of character. We hold the rebuttal evidence was not admissible under ER 405(b). [5] Character is an essential element in comparatively few cases. 22 C. Wright & K. Graham, Federal Practice § 5235 (1978). In criminal cases, character is rarely an essential element of the charge, claim, or defense. 5 K. Tegland, Wash. Prac., Evidence § 126, at 312 (1982). For character to be an essential element, character must itself determine the rights and liabilities of the parties. 2 J. Weinstein & M. Berger, Evidence ¶ 404[02] (1979). See, e.g., Getchell v. Auto Bar Sys. Northwest, Inc., 73 Wn.2d 831, 839, 440 P.2d 843 (1968) (defamation); Thompson-Cadillac Co. v. Matthews, 173 Wash. 353, 358, 23 P.2d 399 (1933) (negligent employment). The expert's testimony was part of the presentation of petitioner's self-defense theory. Where self-defense is asserted, the defendant's actions are to be judged against her own subjective impressions and not those which a detached jury might determine to be objectively reasonable. State v. Wanrow, 88 Wn.2d 221, 240, 559 P.2d 548 (1977). The jury is to consider whether the petitioner reasonably believed that she was in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm, in light of all the facts and circumstances known to her. Wanrow, at 234. This standard may conceivably involve some very minor consideration of the petitioner's character but character is not itself an essential element of a self-defense claim as is required by ER 405(b). See Weissenberger, Character Evidence Under the Federal Rules: A Puzzle With Missing Pieces, 48 U. Cin. L. Rev. 1, 5 (1979). Since character is not an essential element of a self-defense claim, petitioner's character was irrelevant, and evidence of her prior aggressive acts was inadmissible to show her character.