Direct Examination of Expert Witnesses

• Author: Edward L. Birnbaum/Carl T. Grasso/Ariel E. Belen
• Pages: 201-218

DIRECT :

EXPERT WITNESSES

26-1

CHAPTER 26

DIRECT EXAMINATION

OF EXPERT WITNESSES

I. GENERAL POINTS

A. Form of Questions

§26:01 Leading Questions

§26:02 Adjust Questions to Fit Circumstances

§26:03 Certainty of Opinion

§26:04 Phrasing Questions With Statutor y Language

§26:05 Hypothetical Questions Not Required

§26:06 Expert Testimony About Probabilities

§26:07 Limitations on Exper t Testimony Imposed by the Court

B. Exhibits and Demonstrations

§26:10 Use of Exhibits

§26:11 Live Demonstrations

C. Expert’s Demeanor

§26:20 Calm and Disinterested

§26:21 Exceptions

II. ESTABLISHING EXPERT’S QUALIFICATIONS

§26:30 Why Present Expert’s Qualif‌ications?

§26:31 Areas to Address

§26:32 Deal With Weaknesses

§26:33 Compensation

§26:34 Techniques for Eliciting Qualif‌ications

§26:35 Use Exhibits During Qualif‌ication

§26:36 Play to Expert’s Strengths

§26:37 Concluding Qualif‌ication Testimony

§26:38 Waiver of Qualif‌ication Issue by Failing to Object

§26:39 If Court Sustains Objection to Expert’s Qualif‌ications

III. ELICITING EXPERT OPINION

A. Laying the Foundation

§26:50 Witness May Render Opinion Without Specifying Basis

§26:51 Laying Out Facts First Is Usually Best

§26:52 Consider Using Mathematical Formulas

§26:53 Facts Personally Known to Expert and Not in Record

§26:54 Expert Should State Facts Relied on That Are Not in Record

§26:55 Courts Take Common Sense Approach

DIRECT :

EXPERT WITNESSES

New York Trial Notebook 26-2

B. Hypothetical Questions

§26:60 Use of Hypotheticals

§26:61 Foundation

§26:62 Omission of Facts

§26:63 Cannot Be Contrary to Information in Record

IV. REDIRECT

§26:70 Purpose and Scope

§26:71 When Redirect Is Not Necessary

V. REBUTTAL AND SURREBUTTAL

§26:80 Purpose

§26:81 Rebuttal Is Within Court’s Discretion

§26:82 Improper to Use Rebuttal to Add Additional Evidence

§26:83 Improper to Use Rebuttal to Bolster Existing Evidence

§26:84 Rebuttal Testimony Must Be Useful

§26:85 Rebuttal Expert Must Be Qualif‌ied

§26:86 Experts in Surrebuttal