Court Opinion

ID: 9675329
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 04:49:29.842063+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:33.400762
License: Public Domain

DUNN, Justice,
concurring.
I concur in the result. The majority opinion, however, implies that the respon*946dent had no discretion to appoint an expert other than Covert. Under Tex.R.Civ.P. 167a, the relator does not have an absolute right to a physician of his own choosing. Employees Mut. Casualty Co. v. Street, 707 S.W.2d 277, 279 (Tex.App.—Fort Worth 1986, orig. proceeding). However, unless a party has a valid objection to the opposing party’s selection, the examination should be conducted by physicians of the opposing party’s choosing. Id. (quoting Liechty v. Terrill Trucking Co., 53 F.R.D. 590, 591 (E.D.Tenn.1971)). If there is a valid objection, the trial court has discretion to appoint a physician “indifferent between the parties.” Id.
In the case before this Court, the respondent, as evidenced by his question concerning whether the treating psychologists are female, was concerned that the minor might be traumatized by a male psychiatrist’s exam. However, the minor introduced no evidence showing that Covert was not qualified or that the minor would be harmed by an examination by a male. The minor’s attorney merely testified that Covert was a conservative “defense doctor.” There was no evidence showing that the minor’s objection to Covert was valid. Thus, the respondent abused his discretion in refusing to grant an independent exam.
Moreover, if the respondent concluded that Covert should not conduct the exam, this did not justify a denial of the examination altogether. The respondent could have granted an exam and appointed an expert “indifferent to the parties.” Employees Mut. Casualty, 707 S.W.2d at 279.