§ 1-6 General Instructions - Expert Witness Testimony - General Charge

• Library: South Carolina Requests to Charge - Civil (SCBar) (2016 Ed.)

§ 1-6 General Instructions - Expert Witness Testimony - General Charge

Although lay witnesses are limited to testifying about facts within their knowledge and are not allowed to give opinions, certain witnesses, who, by training, education or experience are considered as experts in a particular field, may give opinions in that field based upon the facts of a matter. Their conclusions and opinions constitute evidence to be considered by you in connection with all of the other testimony and evidence in the case. That is to say, you may consider the expert's opinion just as you do all other evidence in the case and it is for you, the jury, to give it such weight as you, in your experience and discretion, may determine. By this, I mean that you must weigh such evidence and accept or reject it in the same manner that you treat all other evidence in the case. In determining the weight to be given the expert's opinion, you should consider the qualifications and credibility of the expert and the reasons given for his opinion.

The testimony of experts on a subject which is little known to the...