Rough or inappropriate handling of an infant Rough or inappropriate handling of an infant

Rough or inappropriate handling of an infant

As in many family cases, the issue here was the cause of the child’s injuries. It includes a distinction to be made between handling in...
Unresponsive episodes in a child and the role of chloral hydrate Unresponsive episodes in a child and the role of chloral hydrate

Unresponsive episodes in a child and the role of chloral hydrate

For the specialists this case illustrates how the court investigates case of perplexing presentations in children and the importance of considering as...
Family Justice Council Guidance on Covert Recordings in Family Law proceedings concerning... Family Justice Council Guidance on Covert Recordings in Family Law proceedings concerning...

Family Justice Council Guidance on Covert Recordings in Family Law proceedings concerning...

The Family Justice Council (FJC) has published guidance for professionals and litigants who represent themselves on the use of covert recordings in...
Access to public domain documents pilot Access to public domain documents pilot

Access to public domain documents pilot

The Civil Procedure Rule Committee has approved in principle a 2-year pilot on “access to public domain documents” in the Commercial...
How to Reduce the Re-traumatisation of Claimants in Medico-Legal Litigation Claims How to Reduce the Re-traumatisation of Claimants in Medico-Legal Litigation Claims

How to Reduce the Re-traumatisation of Claimants in Medico-Legal Litigation Claims

The EWI has been provided with a copy of a recently written paper setting out the risk of re-traumatising claimants in medico-legal litigation and...
A Day in the Life of a Digital Forensics Expert Witness A Day in the Life of a Digital Forensics Expert Witness

A Day in the Life of a Digital Forensics Expert Witness

Ryan Shields is a digital forensics expert who has worked in the police and private sector. Here, he explains why he is passionate about using his...
Podcast Episode 12: Expert Discussions and Joint Statements Podcast Episode 12: Expert Discussions and Joint Statements

Podcast Episode 12: Expert Discussions and Joint Statements

In the 12th episode of the Expert Matters Podcast, we discuss Expert Discussions and Joint Statements. Joint Statements are critical documents in any...
Martin Craig Nicholas & Ors v Barnes Davison Thomas & Anor [2025] EWHC 752 (Ch) Martin Craig Nicholas & Ors v Barnes Davison Thomas & Anor [2025] EWHC 752 (Ch)

Martin Craig Nicholas & Ors v Barnes Davison Thomas & Anor [2025] EWHC 752 (Ch)

The claimants, who carried on a business breeding falcons, made allegations of harassment and nuisance against their neighbour, who operated a small...

The Expert Witness Institute

The Expert Witness Institute is the voice of the Expert Witness community; championing experts from all professional disciplines and the lawyers who use their services.

Our mission is to support the proper administration of justice and the early resolution of disputes through high-quality expert evidence from specialists.

 
Latest News & Insight

Sign up to our free newsletter

Become a member

Join the EWI, a leading membership body supporting expert witnesses of all disciplines.

Training for Experts

Training for Experts. Undertake core training to become an expert witness and develop your practice.

 

What Our Members Say

Since I joined the EWI in 1996, it's potential has been realized, not only in promoting integrity and justice, but in the unique camaraderie arising from it's charismatic members and their multifarious expertise.

Fellow Forensic Document and Handwriting Examiner

I have found the EWI to be an invaluable source of professional support and training and advice on those tricky questions of protocol or procedure

Individual Member Aviation expert

Since starting out as a new expert witness, I have had access to a great variety of benefits, including targeted training and the opportunity to be mentored by an experienced Fellow of the EWI. They are a great source of experience, especially in ones’ first few cases.

Provisional Member Senior Trainee in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Advising as to the applicable law
Case Updates

Advising as to the applicable law

The detail of this judgment is for experts who conduct capacity assessments. Two points arise of more general interest.

First, the expert, who had been involved in the case for six years, changed her opinion. In the language of the court it was a 180o degree change. The court thought that this called for a greater discussion in the analysis section of the report. This seems to have been that section of the report for which experts use the heading ‘Facts and assumed facts’ or ‘Factual analysis’. Second, the expert suggested that the issues, or some of the issues, in the case could be resolved by invoking the inherent jurisdiction of the court. But there had been no application for the exercise of the court's inherent jurisdiction, it was not referred to in the letter of instruction, and it might not – as a matter of law – have been available. This is a good example of the advice to experts to leave the law to the lawyers.  

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council v LS [2025] EWCOP 10 (T3)

Evidentiary reliability and the meaning of words
Case Updates

Evidentiary reliability and the meaning of words

This case has a number of important features of general interest. It illustrates the importance of assessing the reliability of a subject’s account. This is not the same as advising the court as to the reliability of the subject. It is the reliability of the account that is being assessed, not the reliability of the person giving the account. This is why it is good practice to open the Opinion section of an expert report with an introductory section sometimes headed ‘Evaluation of evidence’ or sometimes ‘Clinical plausibility’. That there was no challenge to the reliability of the experts’ evidence is not surprising. They explained how they assessed the appellant and the duration of the assessments.

ZA v Cornetu District Court, Romania [2025] EWHC 595 (Admin)

RSS
First45679111213Last
 

Contact Information

  • https://www.ewi.org.uk
  • 020 3880 0064
  • info@ewi.org.uk
  • Expert Witness Institute, PO Box 797, Redhill, RH1 9JS
 
 

Contact Information

Use the button below to reach our contact form, for a speedy response.

Contact Us