Cook v. Rockwell International Corp.

580 F. Supp. 2d 1071
District Court, D. Colorado·Decided December 7, 2008·No. 1:90-mc-00181·Published·Cited by 120 cases

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION REGARDING DAUBERT MOTIONS AND MOTIONS IN LIMINE

KANE, Senior District Judge.

*1078 Table of Contents

Introduction.1079

Standard for Review of Expert Witness Testimony.1082

Analysis.1086

I.Defendants Daubert Motions and Motions in Limme i — «• o 00 OS

A. Defendants’ Relevancy Standard. i — 1 o OO Ci

.1088 B. Motion to Exclude Plaintiffs’ Expert Witness Testimony Relating to Risk.

.1089 1. Dr. Robert Goble.

.1095 2. Dr. Richard Clapp.

.1106 3. Dr. Steven Wing .

.1107 4. Dr. K. Shawn Smallwood.

.1110 C. Motion to Exclude Plaintiffs’ Expert Witness Testimony Relating to Damages.

.1110 1. Dr. John Radke.

.1123 2. Dr. Paul Slovic and Dr. James Flynn.

.1129 3. Wayne Hunsperger.

.1140 D. Defendants’ Motion to Exclude Plaintiffs’ Expert Witness Testimony Relating to Conduct and Associated Motions in Limine.

.1140 1. Motions in limine to exclude conduct evidence (Nos. 6-12).

.1148 2. Motion to exclude expert testimony by Dr. Robert Budnitz.

.1150 3. Motion to exclude expert testimony by Dr. Thomas Cochran_

.1151 E. Defendants’ Additional Motions in Limine.

.1152 1. Motions to exclude evidence regarding the FBI raid, grand jury investigation and Rockwell’s guilty pleas (Nos. 1-3).

.1154 2. Motions to exclude evidence regarding other lawsuits (Nos. 14 &

Motions to exclude evidence involving the Department of Energy (Nos. 4 & 5) . .1154 co

Motion to exclude certain lay witness testimony (No. 13). .1156

regarding remediation costs (No. 16).. .1157

II. Plaintiffs’ Daubert Motion and Motion in Limine.1158

A. Request to Exclude Certain Expert Testimony in its Entirety.1158

1. Daniel Conway.1158

2. John Dorchester .1160

3. Geneva Smart.1164

4. Dr. Jack M. Holl.1165

B. Request to Limit Certain Expert Testimony.1167

1. Dr. Ward Whicker.1167

2. Laurie Van Court .1172

3. Expert testimony regarding the ability to abate plutonium contamination in the Class Area.1172

4. Expert testimony regarding RAC and Chem Risk studies.1172

C. Request to Exclude Certain Expert and Lay Evidence.1173

1. Evidence of Class Area property values after 1992 .1173

2. Evidence of Class Members’ knowledge of Rocky Flats problems_1176

3. Evidence of Defendants’ alleged compliance with regulatory standards .1177

D. Request to Exclude Certain Lay Evidence .1177

1. National security evidence.1177

2. Lay testimony by real estate agents .1178

3. Lay testimony by Roy Thigpen.1178

Conclusion.■.1179

*1079 Introduction

This class action presents claims for trespass and nuisance against the former operators of the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant (“Rocky Flats”) near Denver. The named Plaintiffs represent a class of individuals and businesses that owned property in a defined area (the “Class Area”) adjoining the plant site as of June 7, 1989. 1 Plaintiffs seek damages for the diminished value of Class members’ properties as a result of Defendants’ alleged trespass and nuisance.

In February 2005, I set the class claims for an eight to ten week jury trial commencing on October 3, 2005. See Order (Doc. 1325). 2 As part of the run-up to trial, I ordered the parties to file any motions challenging the admissibility of expert witness testimony (“Daubert motions”) and any other motions in limine no later than June 16, 2005. See Order on Scheduling and Jury Instruction Issues (Doc. 1338) at 1 (May 17, 2005)[hereinafter “May 2005 Order”]; Minute Order (Doc. 1340).

Defendants responded by filing nineteen motions seeking to exclude all testimony by Plaintiffs’ eleven designated expert witnesses and much of Plaintiffs’ anticipated lay evidence. Defs.’ Mot. to Exclude Expert Witness Test. Relating to Damages (Doc. 1371); Defs.’ Mot. to Exclude Expert Witness Test. Relating to Defs.’ Conduct (Doc. 1374); Defs.’ Mot. to Exclude Expert Witness Test. Relating to Risk (Doc. 1376/1380); Defs.’ Mots, in Limine Nos. 1-16 (Docs.1354-69). Plaintiffs filed two, more limited motions seeking to exclude or limit the testimony of eleven of the eighteen or more expert witnesses designated by Defendants and to exclude certain lay evidence. See Pis.’ Mot. to Exclude Test, of Certain Defense Expert Witnesses (Doc. 1350); Pis.’ Omnibus Mot. in Limine (Doc. 1341). By the time briefing was completed on these motions, Plaintiffs had submitted nearly 300 pages of argument and Defendants had submitted more than 700 pages. Together, the parties provided approximately 5400 additional pages of exhibits to be considered in connection with their motions.

I heard oral argument on the parties’ Daubert motions and motions in limine on July 28-29 and August 2-3, 2005. I offered the parties the opportunity to present live testimony at this hearing, but both declined. See Order (Doc. 1349); Jt. Statement re: Hr’g on Daubert Mots, and Mots, in Limine (Doc. 1403). Upon review of the parties’ Daubert motions, I also determined that live testimony was not necessary for me to decide them.

After careful consideration of the parties’ arguments, exhibits and authorities, I decided their respective motions in a series of pretrial bench rulings. Aug. 22, 2005 Tr. (Doc. 1430) at 3-9, 14-15 (ruling on Defendants’ Daubert motions and Motions *1080 in Limine Nos. 1-12, 14-15); Sept. 18, 2005 Tr. (Doc. 1443) at 4-10 (ruling on all of Plaintiffs’ motions except those seeking to exclude national security evidence and certain lay opinion testimony); Sept. 22, 2005 Tr. (Doc. 1459) at 4-10 (ruling on all remaining motions). I also granted Defendants leave to file an additional Daubert motion regarding one of Plaintiffs’ expert witnesses, see Defs.’ Mot. to Exclude Test, of Dr. Steven Wing (Doc. 1444), and decided that motion before trial as well, see Order (Doc. 1483). In general, I denied Defendants’ Daubert

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Cook v. Rockwell International Corp., 580 F. Supp. 2d 1071 (D. Colo. 2008).

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