Expert Witnesses Testify During Erin Andrews Stalker Video Trial

Former ESPN employee and current Fox Sports reporter Erin Andrews called expert witnesses to the stand this week in her $75 million stalker video trial.  The lawsuit filed against her convicted stalker and the Nashville hotel where she was staying alleges the violation of her privacy caused her severe emotional distress and damaged her professional […]

Lab Analysts May Be Crossed Examined

Lab Analysts May Be Required to Testify in Person in Criminal Trials

Does a criminal defendant have a constitutional right to cross-examine experts who prepare reports that other prosecution experts rely upon as evidence in a criminal trial? That question has been presented to the Wisconsin Supreme Court for resolution. Rozerick Mattox was charged with reckless homicide for supplying heroin to a drug user who allegedly died […]

Blood-Splatter Expert Testimony Challenged in Murder Trial

Blood-Splatter Expert Testimony Challenged in Murder Trial

An Australian blood-splatter expert telephoned the defense attorney in the Pennsylvania murder trial of Jessica Alinsky because he was shocked by the opinions expressed by a state police trooper who was testifying as a forensics expert. Dr. Mark Reynolds knew about the Alinsky case because the trooper based a presentation on the crime scene evidence […]

Court Dismisses Expert Witness Lawsuit Against Professional Association

Court Dismisses Expert Witness Lawsuit Against Professional Association

Expert witnesses typically belong to professional associations. Their memberships may enhance their credibility when they testify in court. Many of those organizations have established rules that members must follow if they wish to remain in good standing with the association. Some groups have developed rules that govern members who testify as experts. A case arising […]

Texas Commission Votes to Exclude Bite Mark Experts from Criminal Trials

Acting on reports from forensic expert witnesses, the Texas Forensic Science Commission has formally recommended the state’s criminal justice system suspend use of bite mark evidence due to its unreliability.  Questions about the integrity of bite mark evidence have gained increased traction over the last 6 years, leading to the recommendation by Texas officials to […]

Fitness Tracking and Expert Testimony

Fitness Tracking and Expert Testimony

Health conscious Americans are using a variety of new tools to help them measure their fitness. Activity monitors, including Fitbit, Jawbone UP, and Nike Fuelband, keep track of heartbeats, body temperature, the number of steps a user takes, and other data. Some smartwatches record similar data. Measurements of time and distance (assisted by GPS components) […]

Expert Witness Testifies During Post-Conviction Hearing of Serial’s Adnan Syed

The post-conviction hearing for Adnan Syed, whose case was made famous by the 2014 legal podcast Serial, featured intense testimony from an expert witness who argued the murder conviction should be invalidated due to insufficient defense counsel.  The hearing, which is expected to conclude later this week, will determine the fate of Syed who is […]

Pennsylvania Judge Denies Access to Source Code Behind DNA Expert Witness Software

Last year we covered a Pennsylvania legal dispute over DNA testing software used by forensic expert witnesses in criminal trials.  Earlier this week the case took another turn when a Pennsylvania judge blocked defense lawyers from accessing the source code for the software, rejecting arguments that the Sixth Amendment mandated the DNA expert witnesses turn […]