Sears v. Rutishauser

This appeal requires us to determine whether a trial judge should have allowed defense counsel to cross-examine plaintiff’s expert witness concerning the number and frequency of referrals the expert had received from plaintiff’s attorney. Plaintiff, Shirley Sears, filed suit on August 9, 1977, for personal injuries suffered in an auto crash with the defendant, Julie Rutishauser. The case was tried before a jury in McLean County, and plaintiff received a verdict of $40,000. A divided appellate court affirmed the judgment of the trial court (117 Ill. App. 3d 61), and we granted defendant’s…