Estate of William Han Manstrom-Greening, Through Carol J. Manstrom, Personal Representative v. Lane County, Oregon, et al.

The Federal Rules of Evidence establish the framework within courts must make their determinations as to admissibility. Under Rule 402, the baseline for admissibility is relevance. Evidence is relevant if it tends to increase or decrease the probability of a fact at issue in the action. Fed. R. Evid. 401. The subject of this appeal is whether the district court abused its discretion in excluding testimony and data about the risk of harm that is created when a loaded and unlocked firearm is left in plain view and freely accessible to unauthorized users. THE QUESTION PRESENTED IS: Is an expert’s testimony about the psychological connection between the visible presence of unsecured firearms and death by suicide relevant to a jury’s determination on negligence?