You see all the time in television shows such as Law and Order, or NCIS, different agents and people going into court as expert witnesses. Not only does this occur on TV, but it also happens in real life. It is less exciting than as seen on TV, but it is still every bit as necessary.
The concept of an expert witness is simple, a person who is an expert in their field comes and gives their opinion, based on years of experience, on a matter in a court of law. Ordinary expert witnesses are medical experts and forensic experts. Below is a list of ways that these witnesses are essential in helping solve any case.Â
FlexibilityÂ
When it comes to experts, they don’t have to be experts. There is a difference between being a court-certified expert and a real expert, and this gives lawyers a lot of room to play when creating their cases. To be an expert in the court of law, you have to complete a series of tasks, just like any other registration.
Anyone off the side of the road with a nursing degree can register to be a medical expert witness, and when creating their cases, lawyers can evaluate this and see what sort of expert witness they need. The flexibility of these experts offers an excellent and fair advantage for both parties to take advantage of.
Fact-checkingÂ
Bringing in an expert to fact-check the opposing argument is a great strategy used by several attorneys in the court of law. Hearing fact checks and holes in the other side’s argument is a great way to get a jury thinking, and that means that you could have more votes going your way.
Using an expert witness is a great way to punch those holes or expose the gaps in the other side’s argument. It is almost as if it is a vessel to show the weak points that the other side has provided.Â
Unbiased
Most of the time, expert witnesses are unbiased to the exact scenario of what happened during a criminal or civil court case. Hearing evidence from an unbiased source can help the jury step back and look at the argument from an analytical standpoint. There is no need for someone to sacrifice their time in court unless they wanted to show what was right.Â
Expert witnesses are commonly perceived as being used in criminal court for criminal actions. These witnesses are perceived as doctors viewing physical damage and police speaking on their experience with crime in their field. While this is true, there are several other places that an expert witness can operate.
A great example of a lesser-known expert witness would be an economic expert. These witnesses are more experts in financial fields and use their knowledge of statistics to help judges and juries determine a verdict on more white-collar crimes than everyday criminal activity.