United States Third Circuit

In a negligence suit against a hotel by a guest who had been sexually assaulted, jury verdict for defendants is vacated and remanded where the opinion testimony of a defense witness did not meet the requirements of Fed. R. Evid. 701 for admissible lay opinion evidence.

Appellate Information

• Argued 05/05/2008
• Decided 09/19/2008
• Published 09/19/2008

Judges

• Before:  RENDELL, FUENTES, and CHAGARES, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Third Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Vincent A. Colianni, Esq., [Argued], Colianni & Colianni, Christiansted, St. Croix, for Plaintiffs-Appellants Janet Hirst;  David Hirst.


• For Appellees:
  
• Wilfred A. Geiger, Esq., Eugenio W.A. Geiger-Simounet, Esq., [Argued], Christiansted, St. Croix, for Defendants-Appellees Inverness Hotel Corp., d/b/a Chenay Bay Beach Resort;  Chenay Bay Beach Club, Inc.;  Ranger American of the VI, Inc.;  Peter Locke;  Debi Forbes;  Victoria Locke;  Richard Locke;  R.f. Corp.;   515909 Ontario Ltd.;   Sun Vacation Properties Corp.