Tag: testimony

Demonstrative EvidenceExpert WitnessLitigationTestimony

EXPERT WITNESSES – RULES FOR VISUAL AIDS IN THE COURTROOM

on January 4, 2011
Medical Illustration

Photo Courtesy of Coulter Medical Imaging

Visual Aids and Demonstrative Evidence are an excellent way for Experts to explain complex medical, financial and technical issues to juries.  Listening to Finance Experts expand upon how damages were calculated in real estate litigation or to Medical Experts explain a botched surgery is often not enough.  For hard to follow testimony, visual displays or demonstrative evidence, such as charts, drawings, graphs, and models can be essential to capturing and maintaining a jury’s attention.

In their book entitled, “Expert Testimony,” Steven Lubet and Elizabeth I. Boals suggest that there are Six General Rules for using visual aids in the courtroom.

  1. Keep It Simple – too much information can overload the jury.
  2. Only use information essential to the case and easily demonstrated.
  3. Obtain professional assistance in drawing and developing visual displays.
  4. Work in conjunction with the attorney – the visual aids may be subject to legal or procedural rules that govern their use.
  5. Be sensitive to the judge and his/her acceptance of digital technology displays – confer with counsel.
  6. Be sensitive to the impact of graphics – an enlarged photo of a bloody bullet trajectory may be too disturbing for a jury.  A drawing may get the point across and also be less offensive.

As technology progresses, litigation is becoming increasingly more complicated for juries to understand. Using demonstrative evidence and visual aids and following these general rules can mark the difference between a case won and a case lost.

Expert WitnessTestimony

Expert Witness Experience – How Much Is Enough?

on October 13, 2010

Federal Rule 702 states, “If scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge will assist the trier of fact to understand the evidence or determine a fact in issue, a witness qualified as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training or education, may testify thereto in the form of an opinion or otherwise.”  How much experience is enough has arisen  as a very controversial issue for Expert Witnesses.  Do more experienced experts give more accurate opinions? Are they more competent to testify?

According to Stanley L. Brodsky, in his book titled, The Expert Expert Witness, “…studies have shown that it is not the amount of experience that is central to doing a good assessment, but rather, it is how skilled the assessor is and how well he or she chooses and uses measures of the issues at hand.”  He goes on to say that if the issue of experience is brought up in a deposition, the argument can be made that many people have worked for years in a certain field yet remain marginal at their jobs.  Others can work for a just a short time and be extremely proficient.

Most people remember the scene in My Cousin Vinny where the out of work hairdresser/ girlfriend, Marisa Tomei, qualifies as an Expert Witness because her grandfather, father and brothers were mechanics and she grew up in  a garage doing tune-ups, engine re-builds, transmissions, brake-relining, etc. Now in theory and movies, this is all well and good and Rule 702 may be satisfied, but the courts have set more stringent limitations on Expert Witness qualifications.

Without going into an in-depth analysis, the Daubert Rule (Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, 509 U.S. 579 (1993)) and it’s progeny established five criteria in determining the validity of an Expert Witness:

1. Has the Expert’s technique been tested?
2. Has it been subjected to peer review and publication?
3. What is its known or potential error rate?
4. Are standards controlling the technique in place and maintained?
5. Is it generally accepted in the relevant scientific community?

This generally relates to the scientific community, but if the testimony given by an Expert Witness does not meet these standards, the Expert may be excluded from the case.  Take, for instance, an Expert who believes he is the most knowledgeable in the field of UFOs and who is called upon to testify that UFO emissions caused an increased rate of cancer in a community.  Unless it is generally accepted that flying saucers exist and that they cause cancer, the Expert’s testimony may be considered “junk science” and the Expert would be disqualified from the case.

Again, it is not the number of years that qualify one as an Expert.  Those new to Expert Witnessing should not be intimidated if they lack experience.  However, they must satisfy the rules governing the admissibility of Expert Witness testimony and have an acute understanding of the issues on which they are to opine.

DepositionExpert WitnessTestimony

Expert Witnesses – Practical Guide to Smart Business Practices

on October 5, 2010

Expert Witnesses have been burdened by issues that hinder their ability to both perform and receive compensation for their performance.  This post is a simple but practical guide to help Expert Witnesses overcome a few obstacles related to their work and help them become more efficient and effective .

Fee Collection. Perhaps the most problematic issue for Experts is collecting fees. There are many ways for this to become an issue. The attorney may fall behind in payments, may want to pay less if a settlement is smaller than anticipated, or may not want to pay at all if the case is lost.

  • Get a written agreement which includes all of the terms and conditions and any consequences for failing to comply. In an article for Expert Witnesses, appellate lawyer, Aaron R. Larson, writes, “Your agreement with the attorney should specify that you may decline to perform additional services if the attorney has not paid your fees for prior services. “ This will allow for more security once the attorney engages the Expert. More time can be focused on the issues of the case rather than how and when the Expert will be paid.

“Hired Gun” Syndrome:  Disparaging remarks made by counsel as to the ethics of Experts Witnesses has always been a bane to the practice. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines a hired gun as, “an expert hired to do a specific and often ethically dubious job.” Credibility should be the number one priority. Here are two ways to protect your professional integrity:

  • Prior to engagement, tell the attorney that your opinions will be based on the facts of the case and your testimony will not be compromised by the attorney’s desired outcome of the case.
  • Perception is everything. If an Expert only testifies on behalf of either plaintiff or defense, than the Expert risks the perception of being a hired gun.

Depositions and Trial Testimony

  • Legal Issues – Have an understanding of the legal issues in the case. Regardless of your expertise, the legal issues may vary from case to case. For example, a Biomechanics Expert may have to opine in a case regarding an injury. This injury may be negligent or intentional. In such a case, it is important to differentiate between the two legal causes of action.
  • Do Not Interrupt – In order to have an accurate record, allow each person to finish before you speak.
  • Silence Is Your Friend – Only answer the questions asked. Never offer more information than is required. If counsel asks a “yes” or “no” question, only answer with a “yes” or a “no.” Do not add fluff to fill the silence.
  • Think Before You Speak ­– Take time to form an answer before you begin speaking. It is better to pause and be comfortable in the silence than to give an unsupported answer. If you do not understand the question, ask for clarification.
  • “I Don’t Know” – If an Expert is caught off guard with new or hypothetical facts that have not yet been analyzed, it is better to answer, “I don’t know,” rather than state an unsubstantiated opinion that can damage the case.
  • Check Your Ego at the Door – Experts are most effective when they are likeable! An Expert is more likely to be persuasive if they are well-liked.
  • Simplicity is Key ­– Make complex explanations understandable.
1 2