Opinion ID: 706827
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Borawick's Claims

Text: 18 Borawick first contends that the district court erred in characterizing her recall of sexual abuse as hypnotically refreshed. Rather, she asserts, these memories may have unfolded on their own even without therapeutic hypnosis. Based on the timing and nature of the recollections, however, we discern no basis for disturbing the district court's finding that the memories were in fact refreshed by hypnosis. 19 The gravamen of Borawick's appeal is that even if her testimony were to be construed as post-hypnotic, the district court erred in adopting its legal test in requiring both independent corroborating evidence and a permanent record of the hypnosis. She also argues that the district court clearly erred in concluding that St. Regis was not qualified as a hypnotist. Instead, Borawick argues, she should be deemed competent to testify under Federal Rule of Evidence 601, which reflects a strong presumption in favor of witness competency, and that this circuit should adopt a rule of per se admissibility of testimony related to memories following the use of hypnosis for therapeutic purposes.