ON BEING A GOOD EXPERT WITNESS IN A CRIMINAL CASE

• NCJ Number: 44891
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 23 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1978) Pages: 190-200
• Author(s): J D KOGAN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: American Soc for Testing and Materials; American Acad of Forensic Sciences
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

GUIDELINES ARE PRESENTED TO ASSIST FORENSIC SCIENTISTS IN PREPARING AND DELIVERING EXPERT TESTIMONY IN CRIMINAL TRIALS.

Abstract

THE NEED FOR THE FORENSIC SCIENTIST TO BEGIN PREPARING FOR HIS TESTIMONY AS SOON AS HE BEGINS WORK ON A CASE IS NOTED. THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING DETAILED NOTES ON TESTS, EXAMINATIONS, OBSERVATIONS, AND EXPERIMENTS CONDUCTED IN CONNECTION WITH A CRIMINAL CASE IS POINTED OUT, AS IS THE ADVISABILITY OF KEEPING A RECORD OF THE NUMBER OF CASES OF EACH TYPE EXAMINED BY THE SCIENTIST. THE FORENSIC SCIENTIST'S RESPONSIBILITIES WITH REGARD TO THE INTEGRITY OF EVIDENCE, I.E., THE 'CHAIN OF CUSTODY,' ARE DISCUSSED. THE EXPERT WITNESS' RESPONSIBILITIES DURING PRETRIAL DISCOVERY AND PRETRIAL PREPARATION ARE NOTED, WITH EMPHASIS ON EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION WITH ATTORNEYS. SUGGESTIONS WITH REGARD TO COURTROOM DEMEANOR ARE OFFERED, AND TRIAL PROCEDURES RELATIVE TO QUALIFYING THE EXPERT, DIRECT EXAMINATION, AND CROSS-EXAMINATION ARE DISCUSSED. PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS DIRECTED TO THE EXPERT'S RESPONSES DURING CROSS-EXAMINATION WHEN THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY CITES BOOKS AND ARTICLES AS AUTHORITIES OR POSES HYPOTHETICAL SITUATIONS. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED.