Opinion ID: 2599577
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the dismissal of dr. henry

Text: ¶ 9 The trial court determined at the close of the plaintiff's case that Dr. O'Riordan was incompetent to testify regarding the standard of care for an internal medicine specialist in Arizona. As stated above, however, no foundational objections were raised either prior to or during O'Riordan's testimony. The defendants chose instead to wait until the close of the plaintiff's evidence to make their challenge. Clearly, this was too late. An objection to proffered testimony must be made either prior to or at the time it is given, and failure to do so constitutes a waiver. This contemporaneous objection rule has been applied by us in numerous contexts. See, e.g., State v. Detrich, 188 Ariz. 57, 64, 932 P.2d 1328, 1335 (1997) (The purpose of a contemporaneous objection requirement is to allow for an immediate remedy for potentially improper or unconstitutional activities.); State v. Bolton, 182 Ariz. 290, 306 n. 5, 896 P.2d 830, 846 n. 5 (1995) (regarding witness testimony); Harrington v. Beauchamp Enters., 158 Ariz. 118, 120, 761 P.2d 1022, 1024 (1988) (regarding jury instruction); State v. Graham, 97 Ariz. 408, 416, 401 P.2d 141, 147 (1965) (regarding admissibility of evidence). The court of appeals stated in State v. Swafford that if an objection is made at some point in time during the trial where the court may take [appropriate] action ..., then the objection will be considered timely unless it appears that counsel deliberately bypassed the opportunity to make a timely objection. 21 Ariz.App. 474, 481, 520 P.2d 1151, 1158 (1974). In the case of expert testimony, a contemporaneous objection also affords the party offering the evidence an opportunity to supply any missing foundation. Here, it appears that defense counsel purposely decided as a strategic matter not to object when the witness was being qualified or examined. By failing to complain before or during Dr. O'Riordan's testimony, the defendants waived any legal objection to his qualifications or the foundation for his opinions. ¶ 10 Moreover, because O'Riordan's testimony provided evidence of a breach of the standard of care by Dr. Henry and a causal relationship to Reinen's injuries, the dismissal of Henry from the case was erroneous. Dr. O'Riordan testified, in part, as follows: Q. If Dr. Henry had donehad arrived, examined and instituted the necessary treatment, ... by the morning of June 28, would Jared have avoided permanent injury? A. Yes. Q. Can you give me a percentage for that? A. [Y]ou're talking about up in the 70 percent area. Q. You're assuming Dr. Henry arriving to the hospital after he's called by Nurse Fowler? A. That's correct. Q. As the standard required? A. Right. Dr. Henry's motion should have been denied.