Opinion ID: 790216
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Hammel's Expert Witness Report

Text: 41 Hammel contends that the trial judge improperly restricted the testimony of his vocational expert, Richard Davis. The judge restricted Davis from testifying to the opinions set forth in his expert witness report because Hammel failed to timely disclose the report to EGC prior to trial as required by Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(a)(2). The court accordingly limited Davis's testimony to those assertions that had been disclosed in a timely-filed affidavit attached to Hammel's motion for summary judgment. 42 The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure require that an expert's report be disclosed at least 90 days before the trial date in order for a party to make use of the report at trial. Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(a)(2)(C); Miller v. Pfizer, Inc., 356 F.3d 1326, 1332 (10th Cir.2004). The sanction for failing to comply with Rule 26(a)(2)(C) is automatic and mandatory exclusion from trial of the non-disclosed evidence under Fed.R.Civ.P. 37(c)(1) unless non-disclosure was justified or harmless. Musser v. Gentiva Health Servs., 356 F.3d 751, 758 (7th Cir.2004). Hammel failed to disclose his expert witness's report before trial and thus failed to comply with Rule 26(a)(2)(C) and has failed to offer any explanation as to why he did not make the report available to EGC. In addition, Hammel has failed to offer any argument as to why his failure to produce the report should be considered harmless. Accordingly, we are of the opinion that the trial court's exclusion of Davis's testimony as to his opinions on the report was the proper sanction in light of Hammel's failure to comply with Rule 26(a)(2)(C), and based on the record we also conclude that the court did not abuse its discretion in imposing this sanction. Musser, 356 F.3d at 758.