Opinion ID: 1175974
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: jury instruction relating to duration of pregnancy

Text: Over defendant's objection, the following instruction to the jury was given by the trial court although no evidence had been introduced relating to the duration of pregnancy: The average duration of pregnancy is about 280 days, that is ten lunar months, or approximately nine calendar months. This includes the period from the first day of the last menstrual flow until the birth of the child. As conception, however, presumably occurs around the middle of the menstrual month, the actual duration of pregnancy is 270 days  that is between the act of intercourse and the birth. There are, of course, many individual variations and normal pregnancies have been known to last considerably less or more than the average time stated. Because of these uncertainties, it is not always possible to predict accurately the date of an expected child-birth. We hold that this instruction properly covered matters that were appropriate for judicial notice. See Territory v. Duvauchelle, 40 Haw. 534, 536, 540 (1954), Barretto v. Akau, 51 Haw. 383, 390, 463 P.2d 917 (1969). A fact is a proper subject for judicial notice if it is common knowledge or easily verifiable. See 9 Wigmore, Evidence §§ 2571, 2583 (3d ed. 1940). The facts stated in the instruction are common knowledge. Other specifications of error are without merit. Reversed and remanded for a new trial.