Subjects:

Evidence

Contents:

Part A Introduction

-The Law of Evidence

-The growth of witness evidence: fact and opinion

-The foundations of the modern law of expert evidence

Part B Pre-trial Practice and Procedure

I Civil

-General

-Seeking pre-trial directions

-Disclosure of Expert's Report

-Agreement not to seek directions as to disclosure

-Other directions

-Other methods of adducing expert evidence

-No property in expert evidence

II Criminal

-The court appointed expert

-Power of the court to call expert witnesses

-Assessors

-Referees

-Hearings in Chancery Chambers

-Experts regularly appointed by the courts for specific purposes

-Preservation, inspection, tests etc., in relation to the subject matter of proceedings

-Experts' reports

-Duties of the expert witness

-Contact with counsel

-Without Prejudice Meetings of experts

Part C Evidence at trial

-Expert witness at trial

-The nature and admissibility of expert evidence

-The form and content of expert evidence

-Hearsay

-Privilege and confidentiality

-The evidential value of expert evidence

-Costs and fees

Part D Methods of Proof

-Psychiatric and psychological evidence

-Valuation of land and buildings

-Forensic science and techniques

-Mathematical, statistical and financial calculations

-Proof of foreign law

Part E Specific tribunals

-Tribunals not covered by the strict rules of evidence

-Specific commercial jurisdictions

Part F Fields of litigation

-Medical reports in personal injury cases

-Construction claims

-Patents

-Matrimonial and other proceedings involving children

-Criminal sentencing

-Drink/driving offences

-Obscenity

Index

Expert Evidence: Law and Practice is a comprehensive survey of the law, practice and procedure relating to the admission of expert evidence in courts, tribunals, official enquiries and other proceedings (including arbitration). It gives detailed guidance to those involved in the pre-trial preparation of expert evidence or the presentation or questioning of it in court.

The Civil Procedure Rules inaugerated a fundamentally new approach to expert evidence and this edition brings together the many developments that have occurred since introduction of the CPR.

• Covers expert evidence in both civil and criminal proceedings
• Sets out general principles and deals with their application in specific contexts
• Examines pre-trial procedure
• Deals with every aspect of the expert witness in court
• Discusses the rules that apply in specific fields of litigation, such as medical reports in personal injury cases, patents, proceedings involving children and drink-driving cases
• Looks at tribunals not covered by the strict rules of evidence
• Quotes in full all important statutory provisions and rules of the court