Pandula v. Fonseca
1 Citing case
Tobin v. Leland
804 So. 2d 390 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2001) Cited 8 timesIdentifying some areas of bias that should be subject to inquiry including "involvement in the instant litigation or other pending litigation involving the parties past or present employment relationship"
Evidence of bias is subject to balancing under the provisions of section 90.403, and a trial court's determination of how far an inquiry into bias may proceed is within the trial court's discretion. See Coolen v. State, 696 So.2d 738, 743 (Fla. 1997); Pandula v. Fonesca, 199 So. 358, 360 (Fla. 1941); Langston v. King, 410 So.2d 179, 180 (Fla. 4th DCA 1982). Although attorneys should be given wide latitude when cross-examining witnesses to demonstrate bias or prejudice, see Purcell v. State, 735 So.2d 579, 581 (Fla. 4th DCA 1999), that latitude is not without its limits.