Local or Nationwide: The Right Expert Witness Might Be Just Around the Corner

When seeking an expert witness, should you set your sights on someone local, or should you search nationwide? Of course, there's no right answer: Your decision will vary depending on the details of your case.

Regional or Nationwide: How do you decide?

Distant experts can be just as accessible as regional ones, says Round Table Group's Aaron Yoho, because "there's been a change in the way that people conduct business.  People take flights daily for their jobs, so it's not out of the realm of reason for experts to travel to see their clients."

Money might not be a factor, either, Yoho says, since faraway expert witnesses often don't charge more than regional ones--except those from major metropolitan areas.

But, there are reasons beyond money or accessibility for choosing an expert witness in your immediate geographical area.

Consider the following points to determine whether geography makes an impact on your case:

Narrow your search to your geographical area if:

Having someone closer to the scene would be an advantage.

"If it's an engineering case, the expert may want to look at a bridge or building in person instead of relying on pictures," Yoho says.

Juries in your state prefer hometown experts.

"Some jurors perceive expert witnesses from different locations as condescending," says Round Table Group's Phil Davis. "If you choose expert witnesses with local flavor, the juries may relate to them better."

"A law in Tennessee states that you have to be a resident of Tennessee, or a contiguous state, if you're going to testify," says Yoho.

"There are also instances where the expert witness needs to have a state's professional engineering license to understand the regulations of a case."

Search for your expert nationwide if:

There's no concrete reason why the expert would have to be local.

"The vast majority of expert witness' work gets accomplished in their own offices," says Yoho. "If they need to go on location, the cost is of no consequence in the long run, considering how inexpensive it is to fly nowadays."

You seek someone with credentials from a notable university.

"In a medical malpractice case, a jury might like someone from Johns Hopkins better than just a local hospital," says Yoho.

Limiting Scope Can Be Daunting

Finding an expert witness on your own can be time-consuming and difficult, especially if you limit yourself to a tiny geographical region, or you're not sure where to start when searching on a nationwide scale.

"We find experts all day every day," says Yoho, "so we're much more expedient and efficient. Our network leads to our success. There's a lot of overhead for attorneys to make the connections we have, and for them to do it four or five times a year, it's not worth their time."

Round Table Group is well-versed in regional and national searches for expert witnesses. "If you're limited by local rules and regulations, we understand those kinds of searches," says Yoho. "If you're looking on a wider scale, we search in a way that makes sense for you: Most of the researchers at Round Table Group start at your location and spiral outward from there. We pride ourselves on finding the best experts."

This article was written by RTG contributor Lisa Fields.