Court Opinion

ID: 9533126
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:28:37.045432+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:28:55.452043
License: Public Domain

JENNINGS, Justice
(specially concurring).
I concur in the result of this case but I do not agree with the majority that the trial court improperly excluded the testimony of the defendant Hodges (the fireman) as to the character of the Thirty-fifth Avenue crossing.
In a pretrial deposition Hodges testified that “ * * * near midnight the employees of that Reynolds Aluminum Plant are changing shifts there and they are going to and from work, and at that particular time I considered it a bad crossing”. Again at a pretrial inquest Hodges testified that “ * * that is a particular bad crossing there all those aluminum plant employees are always *112crossing on that crossing, and we always watch that crossing.” The trial court ruled that the italicized portions of Hodges’ testimony were inadmissible because they constituted an opinion as to the character of the crossing.
The plaintiff contended that such testimony was admissible as an admission against interest by a party with respect to the condition of the railroad crossing. Plaintiff cites Wolfswinkel v. Southern Pacific Company, 81 Ariz. 302, 305 P.2d 447 (1956) for the proposition that admissions against interest by a party, with respect to the condition of a railroad crossing, are admissible notwithstanding they may be in the form of opinions. This was the view taken by the minority in Wolfswinkel. In that case plaintiff’s decedent was killed at an allegedly defective railroad crossing. Plaintiff offered proof, rejected by the trial court, to the effect that two members of the railroad’s staff were at the crossing prior to the accident and admitted its hazardous character and the need for additional signals. The minority stated that:
“It is our view that an assistant district engineer, who was delegated to inspect the railroad crossing with the view of determining the degree of hazards, if any, existing at such crossings, is thoroughly competent to determine such fact and any statement made -by him to the railway safety inspector for the Corporation Commission while they were inspecting said crossing for the purpose of determining what electric signals or other warnings, if any, would be required to make the Alma School crossing safe for the traveling public, was admissible in evidence, as an admission of the railroad company that it was a hazardous crossing, and for the purpose of showing the railroad company had knowledge of that fact.” (Emphasis mine.) 81 Ariz. 302, 309, 305 P.2d 447, 452.
However, the majority rejected this view and held that:
“ * * * the purported opinions of agents of the company were properly excluded when offered as admissions against interest or for the purpose of showing defendants’ actual knowledge of the condition and character of the crossing.” 81 Ariz. 302, 313, 305 P.2d 447, 454.
The majority stated that:
“We believe the proffered evidence, which purportedly represented the opinions of the two railroad company agents, was clearly inadmissible. It was certainly not part of the res gestae; it was incompetent and highly prejudicial, and tended to invade the province of the jury. Admissions against interest are admitted as exceptions to the hearsay rule and are, of course, offered for the truth of their words. *113Generally, statements which are only opinions or conclusions of matters in issue are inadmissible except where expert testimony is required; no such testimony was necessary here to enlighten the jury with respect to the character of the crossing. * * *
“Despite recitations to the contrary in some writings, a party’s statement is generally rendered inadmissible as an admission if it is in the form of an opinion or conclusion. There is virtually no sound authority to the contrary; an exception is that instance where an admission is in the form of an opinion with respect to fault and is given after and relates to the occurrence from which litigation arises.” (Emphasis mine.) 81 Ariz. 302, 311— 312, 305 P.2d 447, 454.
In the case at bar the majority state that although “the testimony could not have been used to supplant the jury’s judgment as to the nature of the crossing” it “could have been used to establish knowledge and wantonness” since the testimony sought to be elicited was from a party to the action and therefore concluded that “the testimony was improperly excluded”. They base this view on the “Rules of Multiple Admissibility of Evidence” stating that “the nonadmissibility of an evidential fact for one purpose does not prevent its admission for any purpose otherwise proper.” However, this rule is predicated upon the proposition that the evidence is offered for the purpose for which it is admissible. American Smelting & Refining Co. v. Wusich, 92 Ariz. 159, 375 P.2d 364 (1962). Where evidence is not admissible for the purpose for which it is offered, it is proper to exclude it even though there existed a valid, but not stated, purpose for which it could have been received. Standard Oil Co. of Cal. v. Moore, 251 F.2d 188 (9th Cir. 1957); Spencer v. Bath Iron Works Corp., 140 Me. 287, 37 A.2d 174 (1944); State v. Goebel, 36 Wash. 2d 367, 218 P.2d 300 (1950). See also Wig-more, Wigmore on Evidence § 17, p. 320 (an offer of a fact for an inadmissible purpose A is properly excluded, though the same fact would have been admissible for purpose B) and Udall, Arizona Law of Evidence § 13. In the instant case the testimony was offered for the purpose of showing the condition of the crossing. In my opinion it was inadmissible for that purpose and the trial court did not err in excluding it even though the evidence may have been admissible for some other purpose. To rule that the trial court improperly excluded this evidence is placing an onerous burden upon the court to determine at the time evidence is offered, whether it is admissible for any purpose. The trial court risks reversal by excluding the evidence for the purpose offered when there exists yet another basis upon which, it would be admissible.
*114There is yet another reason why the ruling of the trial court should be upheld. Declarations of admissions of an employee made after an event or transaction has been completed (and not excited utterances) although admissible against the employee are inadmissible against the employer even though made in explanation of an act or event which was itself within his employment and authority. Brooks v. Neer, 46 Ariz. 144, 47 P.2d 452 (1935); Benton v. Regeser, 20 Ariz. 273, 179 P. 966 (1919). See also Udall, Arizona Law of Evidence § 178, p. 389. Plaintiff did not specify against which defendant (the railroad or the employee) the evidence was offered. Hence, the trial court’s exclusion of the evidence should be upheld since there existed a valid ground for such exclusion.