Beck v. Philadelphia Automobile Trade Ass'n

Citations

• 59 Pa. Super. 145
• 1915 Pa. Super. LEXIS 36

Syllabus

<p>Evidence — Witnesses—Plaintiff as his own expert — Discretion of court — Review—Cross-examination.</p> <p>1. The plaintiff in an action may testify as an expert witness for himself. The same qualifications apply to him as they would to any other witness.</p> <p>2. Where a witness is called to give an opinion, and it appears that he has some knowledge of the thing in question, the extent of this knowledge necessary to found an opinion and its applicability to the matters in hand, are questions largely within the discretion of the trial court, and unless abused to the injury of the complaining party, this discretion will not be disturbed.</p> <p>3. Where a witness called as an expert testifies as to the value of certain decorating material and furniture which had been used for a short time in an automobile show and testifies that they were worth only one-twentieth of the value fixed by expert witnesses for the other side, he may, on cross-examination, be asked for the purpose of testing his credibility, the original cost of the material in question. The allowance of such, a question is not such an abuse of discretion on the part of the trial judge as would amount to reversible error.</p> <p>Evidence — Interjection of defense on cross-examination — Redirect examination.</p> <p>4. As a general rule it is improper to permit a defendant to interject a defense on cross-examination; but where this has been permitted the plaintiff is entitled, on redirect examination, to correct any wrong impression left in the minds of the jury.</p>