Court Opinion

ID: 9678848
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 06:33:56.731468+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:08.434165
License: Public Domain

HUTSON-DUNN (Assigned), Justice,
concurring.
I concur with the result reached by the majority and with the reasoning expressed, except with respect to point of error two.
An expert is one who possesses a higher degree of knowledge than an ordinary person or the trier of fact. Potter v. Anthony Crane Rental of Texas, Inc., 896 S.W.2d 845, 851 (Tex.App.—Beaumont 1995, writ denied); ITT Commercial Fin. Corp. v. Riehn, 796 S.W.2d 248, 250 (Tex.App.—Dallas 1990, no writ); see, e.g., Harris County Hosp. Dist. v. *267Estrada, 872 S.W.2d 759, 762 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1993, writ denied) (non-physician nurse, even if not registered, who is familiar with standard of care at another similar hospital can qualify by experience to testify as medical expert).
Was Officer Walker an expert?
At the time of Guzman’s arrest, Walker had been a Houston police officer for 10 years and had been assigned to the narcotics division for approximately five years. Walker had observed “very many” field tests for drugs. He had seen dogs “alert” on money on many occasions, including the canine in this particular case. He stated he was familiar with a dog’s positive alert.
Officer Walker possessed a higher degree of knowledge concerning drug detecting dogs than an ordinary person or the trier of fact. I conclude that he was an expert and could properly testify concerning the “alert” of the dog. Accordingly, the trial court did not abuse his discretion when he admitted the testimony challenged by Guzman.
I would overrule point of error two on this basis.