Daubert Shorts – Recent Opinions on Motions to Exclude Expert Witness Testimony

 

  1. In re: William and Myo Shears – United States District Court – Western District of Washington – January 4th, 2016 – This is an admiralty litigation involving a fire on a motor yacht.  The petitioners initiated this case for Exoneration or Limitation of liability as they became aware that their vessel may have caused the fire and caused damage to other vessels in their dock.  The petitioners have asked the court exclude the expert witness testimony of Richard Carman (Fire Expert Witness) as unreliable.  The court deemed that any objections to the expert witness testimony should go to the weight, not the admissibility.
  2. Hooks v. Ferguson – Court of Appeals of Michigan – January 5th, 2016 – This is a medical malpractice case involving a laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery.  During the surgery, improperly placed clips on the cystic duct caused a blocked common bile duct.  The plaintiff sued the doctor for malpractice and hired Leonard F. Milewski (General Surgery Expert Witnesses) to assist in proving her case.  The defendant filed a motion to exclude Dr. Milewski’s opinion, stating that it was a “negligence per se” standard as well as not meeting all of the factors in connection with MCL 600.  The trial court agreed, excluding the witness and granting summary judgment.  The appeals court disagreed, and reversed the opinion.