Opinion ID: 475309
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Refusal to Exclude Kennecott's Representative

Text: 13 Breneman also contests the district court's refusal to exclude Kennecott's designated representative. We review the district court's decision not to exclude a witness for abuse of discretion. See United States v. Little, 753 F.2d 1420, 1441 (9th Cir.1984). 14 Fed.R.Evid. 615 provides: At the request of a party the court shall order witnesses excluded so that they cannot hear the testimony of other witnesses.... This rule does not authorize exclusion of ... an officer or employee of a party which is not a natural person designated as its representative by its attorney.... Kennecott designated Rulon Ellett as its representative during pretrial depositions. At trial, however, Kennecott designated Quinn as its permitted representative under Rule 615. Breneman contends that once Kennecott designated one person as its representative, Kennecott was bound to retain that person as its representative throughout the course of the litigation. 15 Apparently, no court has dealt previously with Breneman's argument. While the plain language of the rule suggests otherwise, courts have permitted more than one representative to remain during trial. See United States v. Alvarado, 647 F.2d 537, 540 (5th Cir.1981) (decision as to how many will be excused from sequestration is just as discretionary with the trial judge as who will be excused.); Hampton v. Kroger Co., 618 F.2d 498, 499 n. 3 (8th Cir.1980); J. Weinstein and M. Berger, 3 Weinstein's Evidence p 615 at 615-9 (1985) (There must be wide discretion in the trial judge to allow multiple representatives.). Contra Oliver B. Cannon and Son, Inc. v. Fidelity and Casualty Co., 519 F.Supp. 668, 679 (D.Del.1981). Clearly, if a corporation may designate two representatives to remain in court during the trial, there is no violation of Rule 615 if, as here, a corporation designates a different single representative for the discovery and trial phases of a case. However, we need not decide this question now because Breneman has made no showing that she was in any way prejudiced by Kennecott designating Quinn as its representative at the trial. See United States v. Causey, 609 F.2d 777, 778 (5th Cir.1980) (per curiam); United States v. West, 607 F.2d 300, 306 (9th Cir.1979) (per curiam) (applying harmless error standard to Rule 615 violation).