Banks-Williams et al v. Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Company

Filing 26

ORDER granting in part and denying in part 19 Motion in Limine; granting 20 Motion in liminite; denying 21 Motion in limine per outline. Signed by District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds. (CBet)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN
SOUTHERN DIVISION

KRYSTAL BANKS-WILLIAMS and
DOUGLAS WILLIAMS,

Case No. 16-10052

Plaintiffs,

Honorable Nancy G. Edmunds

v.
ALLSTATE VEHICLE AND PROPERTY
INSURANCE COMPANY,
Defendant.
/
ORDER REGARDING
MOTIONS IN LIMINE [19, 20, 21]
In advance of the scheduled June 6, 2017 trial in this case, the parties filed a number
of motions in limine, and the Court heard argument on these motions at a hearing held on
May 30, 2017. For the reasons stated on the record at the May 30 hearing:
1. The Court hereby GRANTS Plaintiffs' May 23, 2017 motion in limine to preclude
the admission of Plaintiffs' tax returns (Dkt. 20);
2. The Court hereby DENIES Plaintiffs' May 24, 2017 motion in limine to exclude
certain aspects of the anticipated testimony of Defendant's expert, Robert Trenkle (Dkt. 21);
and
3. The Court hereby GRANTS IN PART, DENIES IN PART, and TAKES UNDER
ADVISEMENT IN PART Defendant's May 23, 2017 motion in limine (Dkt. 19), as follows:
(a)

Defendant's request to preclude Plaintiffs from mentioning or offering

evidence that they were not criminally prosecuted for arson is granted;

(b)

Defendant's request to preclude Plaintiffs from referring to other

instances of arson in the City of Detroit is granted, unless Defendant's expert
opens the door to such evidence by referring to other instances of arson in his
trial testimony;
(c)

Defendant's request that the Court apply the "Broad Evidence

Rule" at trial is taken under advisement, and Plaintiffs are granted leave to file
a supplemental brief on this issue on or before Friday, June 2, 2017;
(d)

Defendant's request that it be allowed to lead the proofs at trial is

denied; and
(e)

Defendant's request that the Court bifurcate the trial on the issues of

liability and damages is denied.
SO ORDERED.

s/Nancy G. Edmunds
Nancy G. Edmunds
United States District Judge
Dated: May 31, 2017
I hereby certify that a copy of the foregoing document was served upon counsel of
record on May 31, 2017, by electronic and/or ordinary mail.
s/Carol J. Bethel
Case Manager

2