Court Opinion

ID: 9461822
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 22:25:29.124789+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:37:16.862634
License: Public Domain

On Petition for Rehearing
On consideration of the petition for rehearing and suggestion that it be heard en banc filed in the above-entitled cause, a majority of the panel having voted to deny the petition for rehearing,1 and a majority of the active members of the court having voted to deny a rehearing en banc,
It is ordered that the petition for rehearing and suggestion that it be reheard en banc be, and the same are hereby, denied.
While denying the petition for rehearing the opinion of this court heretofore entered on May 14, 1975 is clarified as follows:
“It is not the intention of this court to lay down a per se rule in federal court trials on the admission of evidence of the consumption of alcoholic beverages at a time shortly preceding an accident. In some instances, the amount of such beverages consumed will be sufficient in quantity as to make such evidence relevant and, therefore, admissible to be considered by the trier of fact pursuant to Rule 401, Federal Rules of Evidence, in its quest for the truth. On other occasions, the evidence may show such a minimal consumption or one so remote in time from the accident that it would be subject to exclusion on motion or objection because of a lack of relevancy. Conceivably situations could arise when the fact of consumption might be arguably relevant but the exercise of sound discretion would cause the district court to determine that the probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice pursuant to Rule 403, Federal Rules of Evidence.
“A determination of the admissibility of the evidence should be made on a case by case basis by the balancing of the factors stated. Such evidence under the Federal Rules of Evidence should not be automatically excluded nor should it be automatically admitted. We are *528merely holding in the present case that the evidence of the consumption of a number of drinks by the plaintiff at the time bordering on the period during which his conduct should have been the subject of scrutiny in litigation was such as to give the evidence sufficient relevancy as to preclude its not being made known to the trier of fact.”

. Judge Campbell voted to grant the petition for rehearing.