Expert Witness Not So "Expert" After All

A renowned Canadian medical doctor and expert witness who was once considered to be the leading mind in the field of pediatric pathology recently testified at an inquiry that he had no formal training in the field and that this may have contributed to mistakes in numerous cases. The Ontario government's probe found that the doctor made suspect conclusions in 20 cases dating back to 1991. 12 of those cases led to convictions, while seven have thrown out. At the probe, the doctor testified that his training in forensic pathology was "self-taught" and "minimal." He also noted that he was profoundly ignorant" of the role played by expert witnesses in the legal system.

This story serves as a scary reminder to vet your experts. Most expert witness referral firms already have a vetting system in place but there is no reason not to ask about an expert's understanding of the legal system and formal training a second time.