27 September Case Updates Pedestrian-vehicle impact speed and injury severity Head injury criteria scores, Impact speed, Pedestrian-vehicle collision For accident reconstruction, emergency medicine and neurosurgery experts, this case illustrates the interdependence of accident reconstruction and medical evidence and the need for the medical experts to have regard to the accident reconstruction evidence. Colizzi v Coulson [2024] EWHC 1956 (KB)
25 September Case Updates Good practice points in asylum and immigration psychiatric reports Credibility, Expert Report, Judicial critism, Expert anonymity, Exaggeration, Feigning, Istanbul Protocol, Remote Assessment The report of an expert in psychiatry was undermined by his acceptance of the appellent's account which, unbeknown to him, a previous tribunal had found to lack credibility. The court also attached less weight to the expert's assessment than it did to a hospital letter because the assessment had been conducted remotely. Chahal v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2024] UKAITUR UI2024001451
25 September Day in the life A Day in the Life of a Water Quality Expert Expert Witness Training, Drinking Water, Pollution, 11. Report Writing Tim White is a chartered chemist who uses his expertise to assess chemical risk from exposure to water. He has been an Expert Witness for over 40 years, advising on cases relating to water quality, land contamination and corrosion.
23 September News Quarterly Update on EWI's Advocacy Work forensic science regulator, Civil Procedure Rule Committee, Transparency and Open Justice Board, Legal Aid, Expert Fees, Advocacy, Health Care Professions Council, Housing Condition Strategy Group, Scottish Justice Council, 06. Rules and Regulations One of the key roles of the Expert Witness Institute is to ensure that policy, rule and regulatory changes are informed by the experience of our members and the needs of the expert witness community and the wider justice system. In this update, we discuss our work in this area over the last 3 months.
20 September News October 1st Amendments to the Civil Procedure Rules arbitration, Civil Procedure Rules, 06. Rules and Regulations On 1 October 2024, the latest amendments to the Civil Procedure Rules will come into force.
19 September News Family Procedure Rule Committee Consultation on New Draft Practice Direction 27A Expert reports, Family Procedure Rule Committee, Family Procedure Rules, Bundles, 06. Rules and Regulations The Family Procedure Rule Committee is consulting on a new draft Practice Direction 27A on court bundles.
18 September News The Single Biggest Change White Paper 03. Setting Fees and Getting Paid, 07. Receiving Instructions, 09. Being instructed as a Single Joint Expert, 16. Criticism and Complaints, 10. Records Assessments and Site Visits, 06. Rules and Regulations, 11. Report Writing, 08. Working with Instructing Parties, 12. Responding to questions, 13. Experts Discussions and Joint Statements, 15. Giving Oral Evidence Earlier this year, we asked our members about the single biggest change they’ve seen since they started practicing as an Expert Witness. With members from numerous disciplines who’ve been practicing from 40 years to 4 months, we expected a wide variety of insights, and we weren’t disappointed.
17 September Case Updates Cardiotocograph – normal or abnormal Obstetrics, Midwifery, 16. Criticism and Complaints, 11. Report Writing, 15. Giving Oral Evidence This case is primarily of interest to obstetricians, illustrating the court’s approach to the disputed interpretation of cardiotocographic evidence. There were no midwifery issues as such, but it may be of some interest to midwifery experts. The general learning points speak for themselves without reading the summary. Woods v Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust [2024] EWHC 1432 (KB)
16 September Podcast Podcast Episode 4: Expert Fees 01. Starting your Expert Witness Business, 03. Setting Fees and Getting Paid, Legal Aid, Expert Fees, 06. Rules and Regulations Simon and Sean discuss expert fees and catch up with Dominic Woodhouse from Partners in Costs to talk about cost management and budgeting in civil proceedings.
16 September News Forensic Science Regulator issues updated Guidance on Declarations of Compliance and Non-Compliance with the Code of Practice forensic science regulator, FSR, Forensic Science Code of Practice, 06. Rules and Regulations The Forensic Science Regulator has updated its Guidance on Declarations of Compliance and Non-Compliance with the Forensic Science Regulator: Code of Practice.