R. STAN BAKER, Magistrate Judge.
This matter is before the Court on Plaintiff's Objections to Defendants' Trial Exhibits. (Docs. 129, 156.) Defendants filed a Response. (Docs. 144, 154.) The Court directed the parties to advise the Court of their remaining Objections in light of the rulings on Defendants' Partial Motion for Summary Judgment and the parties' Motions in Limine. The parties responded to this Court's directive. For the reasons which follow, the Court
Plaintiff and his wife owned a house at 10817 Bowens Mill Road in Broxton, Georgia, which was insured by Defendant State Farm Fire and Casualty Company. Plaintiff also owned a 2005 Yamaha motorcycle, which was insured by Defendant State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. On the evening of January 18, 2013, a fire destroyed Plaintiff's home, and his wife was murdered prior to the fire. Plaintiff submitted claims with Defendants to collect proceeds from his insurance policies, per the terms of his contracts with Defendants. Defendants have refused to pay Plaintiff's claims based on their belief that Plaintiff killed his wife and intentionally set fire to their home. Plaintiff filed this cause of action and alleged Defendants' actions in refusing to pay his claims constitute breach of contract, fraud, and bad faith. (Doc. 1.) Plaintiff further alleges that Defendants conspired with their adjusters to refuse to pay Plaintiff's claims.
Defendants and Plaintiff filed several Motions in Limine seeking the exclude various categories of evidence and testimony. After conducting a hearing on these Motions, the Court entered an order granting in part and denying in part the parties' Motions. (Doc. 146.) This case is set for trial on July 12, 2016. (Doc. 135.)
Plaintiff contends the following Objections are in need of a ruling: 2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 19, 20, 21, 23, and 26. The Court rules as follows.
Plaintiff asserts that the medical record from the Coffee County Regional Medical Center Emergency Management System is incomplete, as it does not show Plaintiff was treated at the scene. Plaintiff alleges that a ruling on the admission of this exhibit should be withheld until the Emergency Medical Technicians on the scene are questioned.
Defendants maintain this exhibit is the entire record produced to them by the Coffee County Regional Medical Center Emergency Management System, which is admissible as a business record under Rule 803(6) and as evidence to establish the absence of a regularly conducted activity under Rule 803(7).
"Hearsay" means a statement that: (1) the declarant does not make while testifying at the current trial or hearing; and (2) a party offers in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted in the statement. Fed. R. Evid. 801. Hearsay is generally inadmissible at the trial of a case.
According to Coffee County emergency personnel, they were to remain on the scene of the fire until a body which was believed to be in the fire was found. No body was found, and the Coffee County Fire Department released the Emergency Medical Service personnel from the scene. There is nothing before the Court indicating that this record is incomplete or that this record is not of the type kept in the regular course of business. Thus, the Court
Plaintiff contends that the letter from Georgia Greater Life Insurance to Plaintiff responding to his claims for his wife's insurance benefits is cumulative and improperly suggests he is a suspect in the murder investigation. Plaintiff states he does not object to a redacted version of this exhibit, which he attached to his Response to this Court's Order. (Doc. 156, p. 3; Doc. 156-1.)
Defendants assert this letter does not suggest Plaintiff is a suspect in a murder investigation, only that there is an ongoing investigation into his wife's death. Defendants aver this letter is admissible to establish Plaintiff pursued a claim for life insurance proceeds and is also admissible as a record of a regularly conducted activity.
The Court
Plaintiff contends his examinations under oath, which Defendants took on December 19, 2013, and in March 2014 should not be given to the jury. Plaintiff asserts that there is no reason for this document to be treated any differently than a deposition, particularly in light of the dismissal of his bad faith claim.
Defendants contend this examination is a pre-litigation contractual obligation under the terms of the insurance contract when the insured has made a claim after a loss. Defendants note Plaintiff underwent two examinations and was asked about the loss and his personal and financial circumstances. According to Defendants, Plaintiff misrepresented and concealed facts material to the bases for Defendants' denial of Plaintiff's claim—claim fraud. (Doc. 154, p. 5.) Thus, Defendants assert, it is critical that the jury have the opportunity to read the actual transcripts of Plaintiff's sworn statements to allow the jury to determine whether Plaintiff's statements in these examinations under oath establish evidence of claim fraud. Defendants state they would agree to redact references in the examinations to issues which the Court rules to be inadmissible.
Federal Rule of Evidence 801(c) defines "hearsay" as "a statement, other than one made by the declarant while testifying at the trial or hearing, offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted." "Hearsay is not admissible except as provided by" exceptions in the rules or where specifically defined as not hearsay. Fed.R.Evid. 802. For instance, former testimony, that is, a witness' testimony previously given in the same or different proceeding, is hearsay but is admissible as an exception to the rule. Fed.R.Evid. 804(b)(1). In order to be admissible under the former testimony exception, however, the declarant must be "unavailable," as that term is defined by the Rule. Certain other statements, while made out of court and offered for the truth of the matter asserted, are simply defined by the Rules as not hearsay and are therefore admissible. In particular, Federal Rule of Evidence 801(d)(2) provides, in pertinent part, that a "statement is not hearsay if . . . The statement is offered against a party and is (A) the party's own statement, in either an individual or a representative capacity."
The Court presumes Plaintiff will be available to testify during the trial of his case, and thus, it does not appear that his testimony during these examinations constitutes former testimony admissible under Federal Rule of Evidence 804(b)(1). Regardless, Plaintiff's examinations under oath are admissions by a party opponent and are not hearsay. Fed. R. Evid. 801(d)(2).
Plaintiff argues that his statement should be "treated as a deposition" and not be introduced into evidence but instead read into the record. (Doc. 156, p. 4.) The Court presumes that Plaintiff intends to refer to Federal Rule of Evidence 613. That rule does place limitations on the introduction of extrinsic evidence of a witness's prior statement, such as a deposition transcript. However, Rule 613 explicitly states that its limitation on extrinsic evidence "does not apply to an opposing party's statement under Rule 801(d)(2)."
In line with these precedents, Defendants should be allowed to introduce Plaintiff's prior statements, not merely read portions of those statements to the jury. Therefore, the Court
Plaintiff contends these Exhibits contain inadmissible hearsay. Plaintiff states these exhibits correspond with his Exhibit Number 852, which will be withdrawn if his Objection is sustained or, in the alternative, will be redacted based on any stipulation that can be reached that Defendants denied his claims.
Defendants assert Exhibit Number 72 is relevant and admissible because it is the actual document Plaintiff submitted to substantiate his claim for personal property damages, and this document shows the items and values of the personal property Plaintiff contends he is entitled to recover. Defendants contend Exhibit Number 600 was prepared by their employees to show the depreciated value of items listed in Exhibit Number 72. Defendants also contend this document was prepared in the regular course of their business, has been maintained in the regular course of their business records, and is admissible under Rule 803(6). Defendants state these exhibits are relevant and admissible because Plaintiff's expert, Alan Broome, relied on these documents to calculate Plaintiff's personal property claims.
The Court
Plaintiff contends the letter Defendants wrote to Plaintiff denying his claims contains hearsay and argument regarding the facts of this case. Additionally, Plaintiff asserts this letter is relevant only to his no longer pending bad faith claim, so it would be improper for this letter to go to the jury.
Defendants respond that this letter is admissible to establish when, how, and for what reasons Defendants gave notice to Plaintiff of the decisions to deny Plaintiff's claims.
The Court
Plaintiff objects to admission of the Report of Don Allen, an Investigator with the Georgia State Fire Marshal's Office, "as to the hearsay conversation with Christopher Sheffield", Plaintiff's son. Plaintiff contends the hearsay statements cannot be made admissible because they were contained in a governmental report. Plaintiff states Christopher Sheffield has testified that the statements in this report attributed to him are inaccurate.
Defendants contend Mr. Allen's Report is admissible in its entirety because he is an expert in fire investigations and regularly relies on information provided by witnesses that is relevant to his investigation. Defendants also contend Mr. Allen's report is admissible as a record of a regularly conducted activity. Moreover, Defendants assert this report can be used for impeachment purposes, as they anticipate Christopher Sheffield will testify contrary to the statement he made to Mr. Allen on the night of the fire.
The Court
Additionally, Defendants must establish an exception for each level of hearsay in the Report. Fed. R. Evid. 805. Consequently, Defendants cannot rely upon the business record or public record exception to introduce hearsay statements contained in the Report, including those attributed to Christopher Sheffield. (Doc. 146, p. 11 ("`It is well established that entries in a police report which result from the officer's own observations and knowledge may be admitted but that statements made by third persons under no business duty to report may not.'"));
If Defendants seek to introduce this Report at trial, they must redact Allen's conversation with Christopher Sheffield. This redaction should begin on page 5 with the phrase "At one point" and continue through the phrase "I informed the agent in charge and." In other words, the phrase "we took steps" and all information after than phrase need not be redacted.
That being said, Defendants may question Christopher Sheffield regarding previous statements he made which differ from any testimony he provides in an effort to impeach Christopher Sheffield at trial. Whether Defendants may introduce extrinsic evidence as part of that impeachment effort depends on Christopher Sheffield's testimony and the requirements of Federal Rule of Evidence 613.
Plaintiff also objects to the introduction of Defendants' Exhibit 601, which is a demonstrative aid and which does not accurately depict the amount of woods and brush between his mobile home and his residence that was burned. Plaintiff contends numerous aerial photographs were taken within a day of the fire and provide a much more accurate depiction of the woods and brush, and these photographs are his Exhibits Numbered 16 through 55. Plaintiff asserts the demonstrative aid contained in Exhibit 601 is not the best evidence and contains inadmissible hearsay.
Defendants assert that their representative, Hal Parrish, prepared this demonstrative aid to assist the jury in understanding the layout of the insured dwelling and its relationship to the mobile home, the driveway, Bowens Mill Road, and the surrounding vicinity. Defendants allege this exhibit clearly states that the diagram is not drawn to scale and only depicts the relationship of objects on the property and in the area. Defendants assert Mr. Parrish made measurements and will testify at trial regarding those measurements.
Based on Plaintiff's representation that aerial photographs of the area were taken and Defendants' lack of opposition to the introduction of those photographs, the Court
Plaintiff contends the GBI chain of custody report makes it appear that he is a suspect in his wife's death and the fire. Plaintiff asserts the chain of custody can be stipulated to outside the presence of the jury.
Defendants aver there is no mention of Plaintiff or any other named suspect in this document. Defendants allege this document is admissible as a business record or as a record of regularly-conducted activity because it is a listing of all physical evidence collected from the crime scene for analysis.
The Court
Plaintiff asserts the photographs were taken after a search of his truck, and these photographs make it appear that he was a suspect in his wife's death and the fire at this residence. (Doc. 156, p. 6.) Plaintiff further states that the photographs have no probative value.
The Court
Plaintiff asserts that the photograph of his truck with security tape over it and Anthony Banks' curriculum vitae make it appear that Plaintiff has been investigated. Plaintiff also asserts that, should the Court rule these exhibits are admissible, foundational support for these exhibits could be stipulated.
Defendants note the photograph of Plaintiff's truck does not imply Plaintiff was being investigated or that the fire loss was investigated any differently than any other fire loss. Further, Defendants assert that Banks' curriculum vitae sets forth the bases for his expert qualifications to investigate cell phones, tablets, and other electronic devices found at the loss site.
The Court
Defendants argue that Exhibit 1058A, Banks' curriculum vitae, is admissible hearsay under Federal Rule of Evidence 702. (Doc. 154, p. 11.) Rule 702, the general rule on the admissibility of expert opinion testimony, does not set forth an exception to the inadmissibility of hearsay. While Rule 703 allows, in certain situations, the expert to make the jury aware of facts and data that the expert relied upon in forming his opinion, this rule does not encompass curriculum vitae. Thus, several courts have recognized that, while parties often stipulate to the admissibility of curriculum vitae, these documents are technically inadmissible hearsay.
Exhibit Number 1059 contains a summary of text messages between Plaintiff and David Arenett. Plaintiff objects to the admission of this exhibit because it contains off-color jokes, some of which can be deemed political and/or racial in nature, and have no probative value. Plaintiff alleges this exhibit may be prejudicial.
Defendants maintain these documents were part of the GBI investigative materials for purposes of completeness, and GBI witnesses will testify regarding what was discovered on Plaintiff's cell phone. Defendants contend these documents reflect that the relationship between Plaintiff and Dr. David Arnett is much more than that of a doctor-patient and may be used for impeachment purposes.
The Court
Defendants argue that the evidence could be used to impeach Arnett's testimony by showing bias. "Proof of bias is almost always relevant because the jury, as finder of fact and weigher of credibility, has historically been entitled to assess all evidence which might bear on the accuracy and truth of a witness testimony." United States v. Abel, 469 U.S. 45, 52, 105 S.Ct. 465, 83 L.Ed.2d 450 (1984). "Nevertheless, proof of bias must be relevant and is inherently subject to the same limitations that accompany the introduction of other evidence."
Defendants argue that these messages show that "the nature of the relationship between the Plaintiff and Dr. Arnett is much more than doctor-patient . . . ." (Doc. 154, p. 11.) However, Defendants can show that Plaintiff and Arnett have a close relationship without introducing this unduly prejudicial Exhibit. For instance, Defendants can ask Plaintiff and Arnett whether they frequently communicate with each other. Additionally, should Plaintiff and Arnett deny that they have a close relationship, Defendants can then revisit the use of this Exhibit (perhaps with the unduly prejudicial messages redacted) with the Court. However, at this stage, this Exhibit is only marginally probative of Arnett's bias which is itself an issue of limited relevance. That marginal relevance is outweighed by the unduly prejudicial nature of this Exhibit.
Finally, Plaintiff contends the photographs in these Exhibits, which show his truck surrounded by evidence tape and being towed, make it appear that he was a suspect. Defendants state the impounding and investigation of the truck located at the scene of a suspicious fire does not indicate Plaintiff was a suspect.
The Court
Nevertheless, these photographs appear to have no probative value. Many of the photos are duplicative. Further, the photos depict the exterior of Plaintiff's truck and do not appear to depict any pertinent evidence (such as Plaintiff's mobile phone) that was found inside Plaintiff's truck. Defendants have not explained how the general condition of the exterior of Plaintiff's truck has any bearing on Defendant's theory of the case. Thus, Defendants should only offer those photos that are relevant to the issues raised by Plaintiff's claims and Defendants' defenses.
For the reasons stated above, the Court