Opinion ID: 894625
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: standard of review

Text: Whether to include or exclude evidence is a matter committed to the trial court's sound discretion. Interstate Northborough P'ship v. State, 66 S.W.3d 213, 220 (Tex.2001); Tex. Dep't of Transp. v. Able, 35 S.W.3d 608, 617 (Tex.2000). Erroneous admission of evidence requires reversal only if the error probably (though not necessarily) resulted in [the rendition of] an improper judgment. Nissan Motor Co. v. Armstrong, 145 S.W.3d 131, 144 (Tex.2004); see also Tex.R.App. P. 61.1(a); Interstate, 66 S.W.3d at 220. To make this determination, we review the entire record. Nissan, 145 S.W.3d at 144; Able, 35 S.W.3d at 617; City of Brownsville v. Alvarado, 897 S.W.2d 750, 753-54 (Tex.1995). We will not reverse a judgment for erroneous rulings if, as the plaintiffs argue here, the evidence in question is cumulative. Interstate, 66 S.W.3d at 220; Able, 35 S.W.3d at 617-18. While it is clear that a judgment should not be reversed for erroneous admission of evidence that is merely cumulative, beyond that, determining whether the erroneous admission was harmful is more a matter of judgment than precise measurement. Nissan, 145 S.W.3d at 144; see also Interstate, 66 S.W.3d at 220; Able, 35 S.W.3d at 617. To make this judgment, we have looked to counsel's efforts to emphasize the evidence in question. See Nissan, 145 S.W.3d at 144; Spohn Hosp. v. Mayer, 104 S.W.3d 878, 883-84 (Tex.2003); Alvarado v. Farah Mfg. Co., Inc., 830 S.W.2d 911, 917 (Tex.1992). In addition, we have examined whether there was contrary evidence that the improperly admitted evidence was calculated to overcome. See Nissan, 145 S.W.3d at 144; Spohn Hosp., 104 S.W.3d at 884.