Opinion ID: 2493631
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Dax Alexander

Text: ¶ 11. Alexander is a Mississippi-licensed engineer and the president of an engineering firm. According to Alexander, his experience included involvement in approximately twenty major sewer projects in south Mississippi. Alexander conceded that, prior to 2007, he had never provided a replacement-cost estimate for a utility system in a court-related setting.... After hearing Dedeaux's motion in limine to exclude Alexander's testimony, that motion was denied. At trial, Alexander was tendered and accepted as an expert in water and sewer system design and construction. ¶ 12. On appeal, Dedeaux generally asserts that the trial court abused its discretion in qualifying Alexander as an expert because he had never prepared a replacement cost estimate for the purpose of determining the fair market value of a public utility. But given Alexander's engineering background and his experience in the construction of water and sewer systems, this Court cannot conclude that the trial court acted in an arbitrary or clearly erroneous manner (i.e., abused its discretion) in deeming Alexander qualified to testify as an expert in the field of water and sewer system design and construction. See Watts, 990 So.2d at 145-46.