Defendant, Jose Ruiz Flores, has been indicted for one count of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine.

The question is whether Officer Eric Rosales had reasonable suspicion to conduct a dog sniff using K9 Sully. Defendant’s expert, James Ha, presented expert testimony related to K9 odor-detection.

The government stipulated to Ha’s expertise in animal behavior and dog behavior but objected to his designation as an expert on narcotic detection dogs.

Animal Behavior Expert Witness

Dr. James Ha is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (“CAAB”), and is also an Emeritus Research Professor in Psychology (Animal Behavior Program) at the University of Washington. He has taught and conducted research in complex social behavior and cognition of several animal species, including dogs, since 1990.

Get the full story on challenges to James Ha’s expert opinions and testimony with an in-depth Challenge Study.

Discussion by the Court

Beyond providing that he has specialized in the study of the capabilities of odor-detection dogs, including search-and-rescue, K9 detection and tracking of people and drugs, and cadaver locations, Ha did not provide any peer-reviewed research of other publications in this field.

Moreover, he confirmed during the evidentiary hearing that he has not published research on the topic of drug detection dogs, nor has he ever been designated as an expert on drug detection dogs.

Held

As a result, the Court declined to qualify Dr. James Ha as an expert on narcotic detection dogs.

Key Takeaway

In conclusion, Ha’s general expertise in animal behavior was insufficient to qualify him as an expert on narcotics detection dogs.

Case Details:

Case Caption:	USA V. Flores Ruiz
Docket Number:	3:25cr171
Court Name:	United States District Court for the Northern District of California
Order Date:	April 02, 2026

Category: Animal Behavior Expert Witness

Animal Behavior Expert Was Not Allowed to Opine on Drug Detection Dogs

Animal Behavior Expert Was Not Allowed to Opine on Drug Detection Dogs