Opinion ID: 1956134
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Expert Testimony Properly Admitted.

Text: A witness may not testify as to another witness' credibility or truth-telling capacity because such testimony would invade the exclusive province of the jury to determine the credibility of a witness. State v. Floody, 481 N.W.2d 242, 249 (S.D. 1992). Applying criminal law authorities, Parrott asserts that expert testimony improperly bolstered Shippen's claims of child abuse and invaded the province of the jury in this civil action. Granted, counsel for Shippen prefaced several questions with phrases similar to: When Parrott sexually abused Shippen.... Although such remarks are improper and assume the ultimate issue, we note that neither expert was asked if Parrott had sexually abused Shippen and neither improperly bolstered Shippen's testimony. Thus, we find Parrott's arguments to be without merit. We have previously held that in an action tried to the trial court, there exists a presumption that the trial court will disregard inadmissible evidence, which includes improperly admitted testimony. In re R.S.S., 474 N.W.2d 743, 750 (S.D.1991); People in Interest of M.W., 374 N.W.2d 889, 893 (S.D.1985); Sulzbach v. Town of Jefferson, 83 S.D. 156, 159, 155 N.W.2d 921, 923 (1968). Furthermore, the trial court has broad discretion concerning the qualification of expert testimony. The trial court's decision as to such matters will not be reversed on appeal absent a clear showing of abuse of discretion. Stormo v. Strong, 469 N.W.2d 816, 822 (S.D. 1991); Zepp v. Hofman, 444 N.W.2d 28, 31 (S.D.1989). As the parties waived a jury trial, we find the trial court equipped to sift through any excess or perceived inadmissible evidence. See United States v. DeSisto, 329 F.2d 929 (2d Cir.1964), cert. denied, 377 U.S. 979, 84 S.Ct. 1885, 12 L.Ed.2d 747 (1964); R.S.S. at 750 (In a trial to the court in which admissible evidence supports the findings, additional evidence, though inadmissible, is nonprejudicial). Furthermore, the bulk of the alleged improper testimony concerned matters beyond the two-year statutory period, not the causes of action occurring during 1987. Based on the trial court's ability to distinguish between admissible evidence and nonprejudicial surplus evidence, we find no error.