Page 5 - Forensic News Journal Jan Feb 2018
P. 5
Forensic News Journall
How to Choose an Expert Witness?, pg 5-11
©2014-2018 SYT Global, Inc.
How to CHoose an expert
witness?
By Richard Sostowski
One of the most daunting being deposed or undergo-
and frustrating tasks for an ing cross-examination in
attorney is trying to find court.
“Choose an expert the best possible psychi-
who speaks clearly atric expert and then de- To add to this confusion,
and simply. Experts, ciding if this doctor is the forensic psychiatrists of-
who are dominated right choice for the case ten have radically different
opinions about the same
at hand. Historically psy-
by a theoretical chiatry has been the least case. Are they “hired guns
orientation, tend to understood of the medical or quacks?” Rarely. Over
talk in jargon that specialties. Many attor- the last 30 years, I have
you may find neys do not even know the reviewed hundreds of
difficult to difference between a psy- reports by forensic psy-
understand and chiatrist and psychologist, chiatrists, most of whom
which, in turn, the let alone what constitutes aspire to be as honest and
jury will not a “top notch” forensic thoughtful as possible in
formulating their opinions.
psychiatrist! Although
understand (and one may be a superb cli- I believe that these seem-
may even find nician or researcher, this ingly “polar opposite”
irritating or is no guarantee of even opinions usually reflect
condescending).” passable skills in forensic different theoretical ori-
psychiatry. In fact, many entations and variable
renowned psychiatrists clinical skills rather than
confess to intense anxiety unethical behavior.
at the mere “thought” of Notwithstanding this con-
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