Opinion ID: 2561985
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: It Was Abuse of Discretion To Fail To Appoint a Trial Expert

Text: ¶ 17 The trial court may appoint additional experts at State expense for good cause. See former WAC 388-885-010(3)(c) (1999), recodified as WAC 388-885-013(2). The Court of Appeals correctly determined that Anderson should have been permitted to engage an expert (Dr. Richard Wollert) to perform a forensic psychosexual evaluation and to testify as an expert witness at trial. Anderson, 134 Wash.App. at 321-22, 139 P.3d 396. We agree with the Court of Appeals that Anderson's motion to call Dr. Wollert as an expert should be granted. A sufficient showing was made that Dr. Wollert would provide distinctly meaningful expert testimony in Anderson's defense. Dr. Wollert would have challenged Dr. Phenix's conclusion that Anderson is likely to commit predatory acts of sexual violence if not confined in a secure facility. [7] Anderson additionally cites Dr. Wollert's availability, the early notice that he was a possible expert witness, and difficulty in engaging another doctor as good cause for the appointment. ¶ 18 No significant countervailing interests undermined Anderson's request. As the Court of Appeals observed, any additional delay would not be in Anderson's best interest because he was confined. The State would not have been unduly prejudiced as a result of any delay. Dr. Wollert offered to be available to the State for discovery at any time. Anderson was also willing to waive his trial date to accommodate the State's need to interview Dr. Wollert prior to his testimony. Under these circumstances, we agree with the Court of Appeals that there was good cause to appoint Dr. Wollert as an additional expert witness at public expense under former WAC 388-885-010(3)(c). ¶ 19 We recognize that among the exceptional protections provided by the legislature for SVP trials, [8] multiple experts at state expense are not included. Thus, our holding should not be read as an open-ended entitlement for indigent SVP respondents to an unlimited number of experts at state expense. Under the specific circumstances of this case, however, the trial court acted on unreasonable grounds in denying the motion and, therefore, abused its discretion.