Opinion ID: 2611854
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Evidence of Montalvo's Seafood Business

Text: At trial, Montalvo presented extensive evidence about his attempts to establish a seafood and agricultural business subsequent to the City accident. Among other evidence, he offered licenses, letters, and contracts, containing detailed figures of expected imports and revenues. The evidence was clearly probative of Montalvo's fitness to work, a relevant consideration. However, the City claims that the trial court erred in admitting the evidence because the jury might have misinterpreted the evidence to represent lost earnings, thus inflating the special damages award. The City contends that, under Hawai`i Rules of Evidence (HRE) Rule 403, [19] the trial court should have excluded such evidence. [T]he determination of the admissibility of relevant evidence under HRE 403 is eminently suited to the trial court's exercise of its discretion because it requires a `cost-benefit calculus' and a `delicate balance between probative value and prejudicial effect.' Kealoha v. County of Hawai`i, 74 Haw. 308, 315, 844 P.2d 670, 674, reconsideration denied, 74 Haw. 650, 847 P.2d 263 (1993) (citations omitted). We note that the trial court gave the following limiting instruction proposed by the City: The plaintiff has introduced into evidence various documents pertaining to his seafood business to show that he was capable of employment; these documents are not to be considered for any claims for past, present or future loss of income from such business. As a rule, juries are presumed to be reasonable and follow all of the trial court's instructions. Myers v. South Seas Corp., 76 Hawai`i 161, 165, 871 P.2d 1231, 1235 (1994). We believe the limiting instruction sufficiently dispelled possible juror confusion. Moreover, Montalvo testified that he did not make money on his business venture, and that he was not seeking lost income based on it. Thus, given the discretionary standard of review, we find no error in the court's admission of evidence regarding Montalvo's seafood business.