Experts Play Critical Role in Shaken Baby Cases

A New York father has been acquitted of charges stemming from the tragic death of his 4-month old son, whose suspicious death led prosecutors to believe that Adrian Thomas had caused his child’s death by violently shaking him. As has become common in trials following suspicious death of infants, the Thomas verdict was heavily influenced […]

Education Expert “Misunderstood” in Landmark California Teacher Tenure Case

Earlier this month, a California judge made national headlines by striking the state’s teacher tenure laws on the grounds that the legislation violates students’ rights to equal protection guaranteed by California’s Constitution. As attorneys and scholars debate the soundness of Judge Rolf Treu’s legal conclusions, his factual foundation was shaken this week when a key […]

Remote Expert Testimony Via Skype Embraced in Australia

An Australian court has embraced the age of digital communications by allowing expert witness testimony to be delivered via Skype or other teleconferencing applications. Called remote witness evidence, the experimental practice has been utilized in select criminal courts over the past 12-months. Feedback on the procedure seems positive, particularly from expert witnesses who do not […]

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rejects Use of False Confessions Expert Witness

Criminology research indicates that approximately 1/3 of people accused of crimes issue a false confession – a troubling statistic considering how valuable confessions are in criminal trials. Behavioral scientists have conducted years of research into the matter, and recently the Pennsylvania Supreme Court was called upon to decide on whether a social scientist expert witness […]

Federal Fourth Circuit Forces Experts to Separate Opinions from Fact During Testimony

Expert witnesses are often used by attorneys to analyze facts and circumstances of a case and offer opinions to help jurors better understand the relevant issues. Federal evidentiary rules, which reflect the widely accepted Daubert standard, permit expert opinion testimony providing it is reliable and supported by scientific knowledge. Recently, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals […]

Arizona Supreme Court Allows “Cold” Expert Witness Testimony

The Arizona Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling last week, changing the way criminal trials in the state can make use of expert witness testimony. Rejecting an appeal of a lengthy prison sentence, the Court admitted testimony of a “cold” expert witness – meaning an expert who has not interacted with the victims. Arizona Admits Cold […]

Florida’s Third Circuit Issues First In-Depth Treatment of Daubert

A recent decision from Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal provided an in-depth discussion on the differences between the old Frye standard of expert witness admissibility and the currently used Daubert test. In Perez v Bell South, the Court considered expert witness testimony in a personal injury claim, and clarified for future litigants how the […]

The Art of Finding the Value of Rare Coins

Many people dream about owning a piece of history. One of the most popular ways to accomplish this is through the ownership of coins. Ancient coins hold a magical attraction. Did the coin from biblical Israel circulate in Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem? Then there are coins that are literally brought up from the depths of […]

Accident Reconstruction Expert Testimony Rejected by Oklahoma Court of Appeals

An interesting expert witness case out of Oklahoma this past week, as the state’s Court of Appeals dismissed expert testimony regarding the cause of an accident that injured a 12-year-old boy who was struck by a car while walking in the street. On an appealed decision, Oklahoma’s second highest court rejected two accident reconstruction expert […]

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Allows Expert Testimony on Eyewitness Identification

Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court made a significant ruling on expert witnesses this week when it determined that juries may hear experts testify to the reliability of eyewitness identification.  Social scientists have dedicated years of study that casts doubt on the ability of eyewitnesses to accurately recall events – meaning that juries may be making decisions based […]