In Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. v. Superior Court (1988) 200 Cal. App. 3d 272, 288, an accounting malpractice action, the trial court precluded defendant accounting firm from controverting evidence on certain allegations after the defendant merged with the accounting firm retained by plaintiff as its expert. (Peat, Marwick, supra, 200 Cal. App. 3d at p. 275.) The appellate court affirmed, concluding that to preserve the integrity of the judicial system, courts have inherent power to exclude evidence to prevent an abuse or an unfair advantage by a party to litigation. (Id. at pp. 288-289.)