Judge Bars Independent Medical Expert from Testifying Due to Bias

A judge in Las Vegas has decided that Dr. Derek Duke, frequently employed by insurance companies as an independent expert, will not be allowed to testify in a personal injury case because of his bias against plaintiffs. The unusual ruling, based on an extensive review of Dr. Duke’s independent medical reports, raises questions about the […]

Parties Argue over Experts in Government Fraud Case against Lance Armstrong

A multi-million dollar fraud lawsuit filed by the US government against former professional cyclist Lance Armstrong will go to trial in November of this year, but the sides are engaging in pretrial skirmishes over the admissibility of expert witnesses. Armstrong, who famously fell from grace after admitting he used PEDs to achieve cycling greatness, has […]

Choosing the Right Expert

Writing for the New York Law Journal, attorneys Michael N. Rader and Jason W. Balich offer sound advice for selecting and working with expert witnesses in patent cases. Much of the wisdom they impart provides useful guidance when choosing an expert in any field, not just in patent litigation. Start Your Expert Search Immediately Sometimes […]

Expert’s Recantation Leads to Dismissal of Satanic Panic Charges in Texas

In 1992, Daniel and Frances Keller were convicted of sexually abusing a 3-year-old child in Travis County, Texas. The prosecution’s wild claims that the Kellers were Satanists, coming in an era when “Satanic Panic” had gripped the nation, were fueled by expert testimony. The Kellers were granted a new trial in 2013 after spending 21 […]

Plaintiffs in Lipitor Lawsuit Appeal Dismissal of Expert Testimony to Federal 4th Circuit Appeals Court

A month after a multi-district class action lawsuit against Pfizer’s anti-depressant drug Zoloft was dismissed after a judge excluded the plaintiffs’ expert witnesses, a similar battle is being fought by plaintiffs seeking damages from Pfizer for alleged injuries caused by the company’s cholesterol drug, Lipitor. As was the case in the Zoloft trial, the current […]

Police Use of Force Expert was Key in Acquittal of Officer Charged in Philando Castile Shooting

Former Minnesota police officer Jeronimo Yanez, who was acquitted of manslaughter charges in the shooting death of Philando Castile, relied on use of force expert testimony to justify to jurors his decision to use fatal force during the incident. The case, which gained national attention as another divisive police shooting, will conclude without a successful […]

Challenge to Expert Hair Analysis Sets Ledura Watkins Free

Ledura Watkins has finally gained his freedom after serving 41 years for a murder he didn’t commit. The only physical evidence linking Watkins to the 1975 shooting death of Yvette Ingram was a single hair. Watkins, who was 20 years old at the time, spent most of his imprisonment studying law in the hope of […]

Judge Gives Mixed Ruling on Admissibility of Dalia Dippolito Experts

Dalia Dippolito was charged with hiring a hit man to kill her husband. In 2011, Dippolito was convicted of soliciting an undercover police officer to commit the murder. The verdict was overturned on appeal because an error in selecting the jury deprived Dippolito of a fair trial. Dippolito changed lawyers and her case went to […]

Third Circuit Upholds Exclusion of Expert Opinions in Zoloft Litigation

A number of lawsuits have alleged that Zoloft, an anti-depressant manufactured by Pfizer, causes heart defects in babies when the drug is taken during pregnancy. The lawsuits turn on expert evidence that Zoloft causes cardiac defects in a fetus when taken early in a pregnancy. Hundreds of federal lawsuits were consolidated in the Eastern District […]

Bill Cosby Case Featured Prosecution Expert Witnesses

After nearly five full days of deliberations, jurors in the high profile sexual assault trial of comedian Bill Cosby were unable to reach a unanimous verdict before the judge reluctantly agreed with defense attorneys and declared a mistrial. The ruling comes as a disappointment to prosecutors who worked diligently to build a case against the […]

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