Boston Marathon Bomber Defense Team Calls Four Expert Witnesses

Defense attorneys for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev rested their case this week after building a case with the testimony of four expert witnesses.  The Tsarnaev defense argues that the young man was not the lead conspirator of the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings, but instead was manipulated by his older brother into participating in the attack.  With the […]

New Jersey Appellate Court Bans Expert Witness Bootstrapping

A New Jersey court has banned the practice of expert witnesses improperly testifying about the opinion of other experts during trial.  Known as bootstrapping, personal injury lawyers use it to take advantage of expert witnesses’ knowledge of opinions of other experts who are not present at trial, effectively getting in evidence that was not approved […]

Delaware Court Rejects Use of a Corporation as an Expert Witness

In late February, the Delaware Chancery Court was forced to consider whether or not a corporation could serve as an expert witness in a dispute over the valuation of a business.  Although corporations can be considered a legal person under other areas of legal doctrine, the Delaware court decided against extending personhood to corporations for […]

Boston Marathon Bomber Trial Features Terrorism Expert Witness

This week the high profile trial of suspected Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev featured expert witness testimony from a counter-terrorism expert called by prosecutors.  Defense attorneys representing Tsarnaev countered the terrorism expert with a vigorous cross-examination accusing him of portraying the defendant as a terrorist in order to sensationalize the trial and prejudice jurors.  Tsarnaev faces […]

Employment Discrimination Expert Witnesses Featured in Silicon Valley Lawsuit

The high profile gender discrimination lawsuit filed by Ellen Pao against her former employer Silicon Valley investment firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers culminated this week with an expert witness hired by the plaintiff eviscerating a defense expert’s testimony that the venture capital firm did not engage in discrimination against women.  Pao’s $16 million lawsuit […]

Forensic Expert Witness Claims Death was Suicide in Utah Murder Trial

The case against a Utah doctor accused of murdering his wife hit a snag this week when a forensic expert witness testified that the wounds the victim suffered were likely self-inflicted, suggesting the death was a suicide.  The expert testimony is the latest dramatic turn in the murder trial of Johnny Brickman Wall, and gives […]

Aaron Hernandez Murder Trial Features Expert Witness Testimony

The murder trial of former NFL star Aaron Hernandez continued this week with prosecutors presenting two expert witnesses who placed the defendant and the victim at the scene of the shooting. As Hernandez’s murder trial progresses, prosecutors have built their case with experts to interpret the evidence for jurors and fingerprint and DNA testimony is […]

Jesse Matthew Murder Trial on Hold for DNA Expert Witness

The murder trial of Jesse Matthew, Jr. has been delayed after a judge ruled this week that the defense would be entitled time to use the services of a state-appointed DNA expert witness.  Matthew is facing trial for murder in the death of Hannah Graham late last year, and will consult a DNA expert prior […]

New Jersey Judge Excludes Expert Witness Testimony in Accutane Lawsuit

A New Jersey judge struck a blow to thousands of pending cases against the manufacturer of Accutane this week by denying plaintiffs use of an expert witness connecting the drug to Crohn’s disease.  Finding that the expert testimony failed to meet the standards of reliable scientific analysis, Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Nelson Johnson prevented […]