California DA Raises Questions with Choice of Police Shooting Expert Witness

A District Attorney in Sonoma County, California has come under fire recently for declining to file charges against a police officer who fatally shot a toy-gun carrying 13-year-old last October.  At particular issue is the DA’s choice to consult psychology expert witness William Lewinski, an authority on “reaction times and shooting dynamics” who consults with […]

Detroit Pays $500,000 in Financial Expert Fees for Bankruptcy Filing

Detroit has added more than $500,000 in expert witness fees to its growing short term debt accrued as a result of the city’s bankruptcy filing. Massachusetts financial advisor Marti Kopacz will receive payment of $514,736.71 for work performed in April and May that resulted in a financial expert witness report that assesses the feasibility of […]

Florida Judge Advocates for Increased Use of Eyewitness Experts in Criminal System

A Florida Supreme Court Justice issued a strong argument for the use of eyewitness testimony expert witnesses in the state’s criminal system – supporting the growing field of social and behavioral science that has called to question the accuracy of eyewitness identification. Justice Barbara Pariente issued her comments imploring the use of eyewitness experts as a […]

ADHD Expert Witness Testimony Rejected in Criminal Case Alleging Fraud

Last month, US District Court Judge W. Louis Sands rejected testimony from a neuropsychology expert witness in the criminal trial of Stewart Parnell, accused of defrauding customers of his now defunct Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) by selling them peanut products filled with harmful contaminants. Throughout 2008 and 2009, PCA distributed peanut products that led […]

Mental Health Experts Key in Legal Bid to Remove Donald Sterling as Clippers Co-Owner

A trial to enforce the sale of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers may turn on expert witness reports regarding the mental health of recently disgraced owner, Donald Sterling. Following racist and disparaging comments made by Sterling, the league banned him from any basketball related activities before issuing an order for him to sell the team. […]

Trial Skills: 7 Tips for Cross-Examining the Plaintiff’s Expert

Seven Tips for Cross-Examining the Plaintiff’s Expert 1)   Know the elements of the plaintiffs’ case. In almost every case involving some professional or technical issue, the plaintiff must hire an expert to address the elements of the cause of action. Make sure you know what the plaintiff is trying to prove. You won’t be able […]

Merck Seeks Sanctions Against Expert in Vioxx Case

An expert witness in high dollar litigation over Merck’s discontinued Vioxx pill faces potential sanctions from a federal judge for disclosing confidential information regarding the case to The Wall Street Journal. Professor David Egilman of Brown University testified as an expert witness for plaintiffs alleging Merck misled consumers about the dangers of Vioxx, and recently came […]