Opinion ID: 1768479
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether the trial court erred by excluding the testimony of three witnesses called by busick.

Text: ¶ 47. [A]dmission or suppression of evidence is within the discretion of the trial judge and will not be reversed absent an abuse of that discretion. Church of God Pentecostal, Inc. v. Freewill Pentecostal Church of God Inc., 716 So.2d 200, 210 (Miss.1998). For a case to be reversed on the erroneous admission or exclusion of evidence, the error must result in prejudice and harm or adversely affect a substantial right of a party. Terrain Enters., Inc. v. Mockbee, 654 So.2d at 1131; Hansen v. State, 592 So.2d 114 (Miss.1991). ¶ 48. The trial court has wide and considerable discretion in matters relating to discovery; its order will not be disturbed unless there has been an abuse of discretion. McCarty v. Kellum, 667 So.2d 1277, 1285 (Miss.1995); Clark v. Miss. Power Co., 372 So.2d 1077, 1080 (Miss. 1979). We will affirm unless there is a definite and firm conviction that the court below clearly erred in reaching its conclusion after weighing the relevant factors. Kinard v. Morgan, 679 So.2d 623, 625 (Miss.1996). ¶ 49. This Court reviews the record to determine whether the trial court employed the proper legal standards in its fact findings governing evidence admissibility. McMillan v. Rodriguez, 823 So.2d 1173, 1177 (Miss.2002). Therefore, the trial court's discretion must be exercised within the scope of the Mississippi Rules of Evidence, and reversal will be appropriate only when an abuse of discretion resulting in prejudice occurs. Id. ¶ 50. Busick argues that it was error for the court to exclude the testimony of three witnesses whom she claims were identified in her March 29, 2002, supplemental discovery response and where she claims to have made four offers to St. John to produce the witnesses for depositions. Those three witnesses were her husband, mother, and daughter. Busick claims that their testimony would have established material facts which were otherwise absent from Busick's evidence as verification of injuries which were possibly overlooked by the jury as a result of the refusal. ¶ 51. The parties had an agreed order that set the trial for September 24, 2001 with agreement for completion of discovery on September 14, 2001. Busick made a motion for continuance to obtain medical treatment and for the deposition of her doctor. In a joint motion filed by both parties, the trial was reset for April 15, 2002, and discovery would be completed 60 days before trial, on or about February 14, 2002. St. John submits that on March 29, 2002, Busick supplemented with an unverified interrogatory response identifying her husband, Robert Busick, as an additional fact witness. St. John immediately filed a motion in limine to strike his testimony as the witness was disclosed only 17 days before trial. On the morning of the trial, during voir dire, Busick disclosed two more witnesses, Shirley Doeker and Christy Trotter Thompson. Again, St. John moved to exclude their testimony. When the judge asked the subject of the witnesses' testimony, Busick stated that their testimony would be to damages sustained as a result of the accident. Relying on Busick's assertion of the relevance as to damages, the court refused to allow the testimony because of untimely disclosure and because Busick would not suffer prejudice from the refusal. The court found that Busick would testify as to the damages and additional evidence would be cumulative. ¶ 52. St. John contends that Busick has not demonstrated error because the testimony of the witnesses would have been cumulative. Further, St. John urges that it is unbelievable that Busick did not know that her mother, husband and daughter did not have discoverable knowledge until 17 days before trial. St. John argues that Busick was allowed to testify to her injuries, introduce medical evidence and present the deposition testimony from her doctors. More importantly, St. John argues that, since the jury returned a verdict on the issue of St. John's lack of negligence and not damages, there was no prejudice from the refusal to allow the testimony. ¶ 53. Rule 401 of the Mississippi Rules of Evidence defines relevant evidence as evidence having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable than it would be without the evidence. Furthermore, Rule 403 of the Mississippi Rules of Evidence reads, Although relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury, or by considerations of undue delay, waste of time, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence. ¶ 54. We hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in excluding the testimony of the witnesses. After a review of the record, the trial court employed the proper legal standards in its fact findings governing evidence admissibility. Reversal is not appropriate, as M.R.E. 401 and 403 were properly used by the trial court to determine that the evidence was both not relevant and cumulative. ¶ 55. Busick requested permission to allow the testimony of her husband only 17 days prior to trial. Even more violative of the rules, her mother and daughter were offered as witnesses the day of the trial. We have long held that the rules of discovery are to prevent trial by ambush. Choctaw Maid Farms, Inc. v. Hailey, 822 So.2d 911, 917 (Miss.2002); Motorola Comm. & Elecs., Inc. v. Wilkerson, 555 So.2d 713, 718 (Miss.1989). Further, trial courts are committed to the discovery rules because they promote fair trials. Once an opponent requests discoverable material, an attorney has a duty to comply with the request regardless of the advantage a surprise may bring. Williams v. Dixie Elec. Power Ass'n, 514 So.2d 332, 335 (Miss.1987). ¶ 56. The trial court did not err when refusing to allow Busick's mother, husband and daughter to testify to damages. Busick was both deposed and testified as to her injuries. There was surely no knowledge that these witnesses possessed about Busick's damages that Busick did not know personally. Additionally, Busick presented evidence from two doctors who testified as to her injuries she allegedly sustained in the collision. Further, and more pertinent on the issue of having found St. John not liable for negligence, the jury never reached the question of damages about which Busick wished to present through this evidence. There is no merit to this issue.