Court Opinion

ID: 9731986
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 16:03:32.391714+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:26:22.288737
License: Public Domain

*335BECK, Judge,
concurring:
I join in the majority’s conclusion that the bodily injury suffered by appellee Van Kirk falls within the exclusion from coverage for bodily injury which is expected or intended by the insured. I agree that the “irrational impulse” test adopted by the trial court is inapplicable to the coverage question presented by this case.
I write separately only to express my view that it is unnecessary to the decision of this case to opine on the pertinence of the M’Naghten Rule as the majority does in the concluding paragraphs of its Opinion. This case clearly does not involve an insured who could be deemed to be insane under the M’Naghten Rule and neither party makes such an argument. Nor did the trial court opine on this subject. Thus, I find it unnecessary to express any opinion on the relevance of the M’Naghten Rule to the coverage question presented and I do not join in the majority’s dicta on that subject.
I further find it unnecessary to opine, as the majority does, on the general relevance or usefulness of expert psychiatric testimony in cases such as this. I agree that in this case the expert testimony must be viewed as irrelevant, since it was directed only to whether the insured was acting on an irrational impulse and we have decided that this determination is irrelevant to the coverage issue. I do not agree with the majority’s broad pronouncement that expert psychiatric testimony is always irrelevant in a case where the issue posed is whether the insured expected or intended the bodily injury or property damage for which coverage is sought. The relevance of such testimony depends completely upon the facts of the particular case. I see no need to opine on the possible relevance of such testimony in any context other than the facts of this case.