Examples of Expert Witnesses and Their Communities of Interest

Our world is awash with technology. The operation of the most common technical devices remains a mystery to mere mortals. In this chapter, expert witnesses from several different specialty areas describe the nature of their work. Of particular interest here is how each of these experts contributes to and draws on the expertise of other experts within their own professional community of interest. Included among these examples is a look at an Academy Award-winning portrayal of an expert witness who shares several common attributes with effective expert witnesses who testify in real courtrooms. The expert in My Cousin Vinny is extremely well qualified, competent, and credible. She is also able to correct in a clear and convincing way the serious technical mistakes made by the opposing expert in rendering his opinion. The movie version of competing expert witnesses shows how easily the expert with all the facts and the competence and experience to comprehend their meaning wins. The movie and the real-life examples presented in this chapter underscore the importance of the traditional expert community of interest that establishes clear standards of practice and the reputations of experts who apply them. These standards and qualifications are central to the process of the qualification of experts, the evaluation of the credibility of expert testimony, and the ultimate resolution of disagreements between legitimate, qualified experts.