Opinion ID: 1934346
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: hansen as expert witness on excessive fee issue

Text: Miller also alleges error in the referee's decision to allow Hansen, Sharon's attorney, to testify as an expert witness about the excessiveness of Miller's fee. Miller argues that because of his representation of Sharon, Hansen could not testify in any other way about the unreasonableness of the fee. This argument is without merit. The admission of expert testimony is ordinarily within the trial court's discretion and its ruling will be upheld absent an abuse of discretion. Gittins v. Scholl, 258 Neb. 18, 601 N.W.2d 765 (1999). The same discretion is accorded to referees, and we find no abuse of discretion in the referee's decision to allow Hansen to testify about the excessiveness of the fee. Four factors govern the admissibility of expert testimony: (1) whether the witness is qualified as an expert, (2) whether the testimony is relevant, (3) whether the testimony will assist the trier of fact, and (4) whether the probative value of the testimony is outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice or other considerations. Seeber v. Howlette, 255 Neb. 561, 586 N.W.2d 445 (1998) (interpreting Neb. Rev.Stat. § 27-403 (Reissue 1995)). Hansen was sufficiently qualified as an expert; he has practiced law in Omaha for over 29 years, and in recent years, he has focused on the insurance area. Hansen's opinion with respect to the reasonableness of the fee is highly relevant because that fee is a major issue in this disciplinary case. Moreover, his opinion assists the trier of fact in determining that issue, and its probative value is not substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. Although Miller claims that Hansen should not have been allowed to testify because of an alleged bias in favor of Sharon, any such bias goes to the credibility of Hansen's testimony, not its admissibility.