Court Opinion

ID: 9720478
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 08:31:47.641078+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:18.516239
License: Public Domain

Boyle, J.
(concurring in part and dissenting in part). I write separately to state that although in my view the evidentiary error was harmless, I agree with the Court of Appeals that the trial court erroneously concluded that People v Henderson, 408 Mich 56; 289 NW2d 376 (1980), barred admission of plaintiffs’ tax returns for any purpose. The defendant did not seek to show generally that poor persons are more likely to commit arson than affluent people. Rather, there being other evidence of incendiary origin, the probative value of the specific evidence was its logical relevance to motive for arson and to fraud relating to personal loss. This Court has held that arson may be proven by circumstantial evidence, Peterson v Oceana Circuit Judge, 243 Mich 215; 219 NW 934 (1928). *198Motive plus access or opportunity may establish arson in a civil context, O-So Detroit, Inc v Home Ins Co, 973 F2d 498 (CA 6, 1992), and, as the lead opinion implicitly recognizes, the overwhelming weight of authority permits introduction of specific evidence of financial need in civil cases. See ante, p 191, n 15 and 19 Couch, Insurance, 2d (rev ed), § 79:573, pp 542-544.
This is not a situation in which a prosecutor is seeking to prejudice a defendant by suggesting that he is part of the criminal milieu because he is poor. The rationale of People v Henderson, supra, is that motive is of minimal relevance in a theft offense because greed and not need is the assumed motive for theft. Because one does not lightly destroy one’s home or business, the logical force of the relationship between need and deed is greater in the context of an arson. Even here, however, and even with respect to civil cases, it might legitimately be urged that financial need alone is not probative of arson.
What the lead opinion does not acknowledge is that this is not a case where the defense offers to establish arson from evidence of financial need alone. Here, there is other evidence of incendiary origin. The proof offered is specific and relevant to the plaintiffs’ financial motive.1
Finally, since judgment has entered for plaintiffs, the lead opinion’s observations are unnecessary. I would refrain from extending the dicta of *199Henderson, supra, until a case is presented in which it can properly be said that the effect of admitting the evidence unfairly prejudiced the plaintiff.
Griffin, J., concurred with Boyle, J.

 I do not quarrel with the fact that the judge has discretion to prevent innuendo from a generalized claim that poverty suggests motive, MRE 403. It would seem to me it would be a rare situation, however, where the prejudicial effect of specific evidence would outweigh probative value and that, in most situations, potential prejudice could properly be addressed by curative instructions. See Emasco Ins Co v Waymire, 242 Mont 131; 788 P2d 1357 (1990). Since the trial court felt compelled to exclude the evidence, it erred in failing to exercise discretion.