Maldonado v. Federal Express Corporation

MOTION Defendant's Motion to Exclude Testimony and Expert Report of Lisa Fontes

D.V.I.April 29, 2019

1 IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS DIVISION OF ST. CROIX NATACHA MALDONADO, ) Plaintiff, ) v. ) Case. No. 1:17-CV-39 ) FEDERAL EXPRESS CORPORATION, ) Defendant. ) ) DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO EXCLUDE TESTIMONY AND EXPERT REPORT OF LISA FONTES _ Defendant Federal Express Corporation (“FedEx”), pursuant to LR 7.1 and the Scheduling Order, moves to exclude the expert witness testimony and report of Lisa Fontes, Ph.D. (Fontes) and in support thereof would state: 1. Lisa Fontes’ testimony and expert opinions do not meet the admissibility requirements of governed by Federal Rule of Evidence 702, the Supreme Court’s decisions in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 U.S. 579 (1993), and Kumho Tire Co., Ltd. v. Carmichael, 526 U.S. 137 (1999). 2. As demonstrated in the corresponding memorandum submitted in support of this motion: (1) Fontes lacks the relevant specialty expertise to be qualified as an expert; (2) the reasoning and methodology underlying her testimony/report is not sufficiently reliable; and (3) the testimony and report offered by Fontes does not fit the factual dispute at issue so that it will assist the jury. See Anders v. Puerto Rican Cars, Inc., No. CIV.A. 04-0036, 2009 WL 3007367, at *3– 4 (D.V.I. Sept. 15, 2009), aff'd, 409 F. App'x 539 (3d Cir. 2011), citing Daubert, 509 U.S. at 591; United States v. Downing, 753 F.2d 1224, 1242 (3d Cir.1985). Case: 1:17-cv-00039-WAL-GWC Document #: 125 Filed: 04/29/19 Page 1 of 3 2 WHEREFORE, for the reasons articulated herein, and the contemporaneous filed memorandum of law, FedEx requests that the Court exclude the testimony and report of Lisa Fontes. Dated this 29th day of April 2019. Respectfully submitted, By: s/ Charles E. Engeman___________ Charles E. Engeman (V.I. Bar No. 498) OGLETREE, DEAKINS, NASH, SMOAK & STEWART, P.C. The Tunick Building, Suite 201 1336 Beltjen Road St. Thomas, VI 00802-4701 Telephone: (340) 714-1235 charles.engeman@ogletreedeakins.com AND s/ Frederick L. Douglas Frederick L. Douglas (admitted pro hac vice) s/ Robbin Wilson Hutton Robbin Wilson Hutton (admitted pro hac vice) s/ Brandie N. Smith Brandie N. Smith (admitted pro hac vice) Federal Express Corporation 3620 Hacks Cross Road Building B, Third Floor Memphis, TN 38125 ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANT Case: 1:17-cv-00039-WAL-GWC Document #: 125 Filed: 04/29/19 Page 2 of 3 3 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that I have served via ECF a true and correct copy of Defendant’s Motion to Exclude Testimony of Lisa Fontes, this 29th day of April 2019 to the following: Lee J. Rohn, Esq. Mary Faith Carpenter, Esq. Lee J. Rohn and Associates, LLC 1101 King Street Christiansted, St. Croix, VI 00820-4933 By: s/Charles E. Engeman__________ Counsel for Defendant Doc. no. 1282038 Case: 1:17-cv-00039-WAL-GWC Document #: 125 Filed: 04/29/19 Page 3 of 3