Pacemaker PTSD? Pacemaker PTSD?

Pacemaker PTSD?

This is primarily a case for cardiologists, cardiac nurses and anaesthetists with a learning point for psychiatric experts. Viewed from outside the...
Advising as to the applicable law Advising as to the applicable law

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...
Evidentiary reliability and the meaning of words Evidentiary reliability and the meaning of words

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...
Podcast Episode 11: AI and the Expert Witness Podcast Episode 11: AI and the Expert Witness

Podcast Episode 11: AI and the Expert Witness

In the 11th episode of the Expert Matters Podcast, we take a look at how AI is being used by Expert Witnesses. We discuss general developments related...
EWI publishes new Guidance on Expert Discussions and Joint Statements EWI publishes new Guidance on Expert Discussions and Joint Statements

EWI publishes new Guidance on Expert Discussions and Joint Statements

We have just refreshed our guidance on ‘Expert Discussions and Joint Statements' in the EWI Knowledge Hub...
Postponement of the Extended Fixed Recoverable Costs Stocktake and Uprating of Fixed Cost... Postponement of the Extended Fixed Recoverable Costs Stocktake and Uprating of Fixed Cost...

Postponement of the Extended Fixed Recoverable Costs Stocktake and Uprating of Fixed Cost...

The Civil Procedure Rule Committee (‘Committee) decided, provisionally, to postpone the extended Fixed Recoverable Cost (‘FRC’)...
Family Procedure Rules Consultation concerning the instruction of unregulated experts in... Family Procedure Rules Consultation concerning the instruction of unregulated experts in...

Family Procedure Rules Consultation concerning the instruction of unregulated experts in...

In recent years a range of stakeholders have raised concerns regarding unregulated experts providing evidence in family law court cases and the...
A Day in the Life of an Aerial Imagery Expert A Day in the Life of an Aerial Imagery Expert

A Day in the Life of an Aerial Imagery Expert

Chris Cox is a professional heritage consultant, specialist interpreter of aerial imagery and Lidar data, and an Expert Witness. She is the...
Podcast Episode 10: Equal Representation for Expert Witnesses Podcast Episode 10: Equal Representation for Expert Witnesses

Podcast Episode 10: Equal Representation for Expert Witnesses

In Episode 10 of the Expert Matters Podcast we celebrate International Women's Day. Women are appointed or testify in only 9% of disputes...
A Day in the Life of an Accountancy Expert Witness A Day in the Life of an Accountancy Expert Witness

A Day in the Life of an Accountancy Expert Witness

Heather Rogers is an accountant, tax practitioner and Expert Witness. Most of her cases involve director disputes or professional negligence where...
Podcast Episode 9: Becoming an Expert Witness Podcast Episode 9: Becoming an Expert Witness

Podcast Episode 9: Becoming an Expert Witness

In the 9th episode of the Expert Matters Podcast, we look at how to become an Expert Witnesss. If you think expert witness work might be for you,...
A Day in the Life of an Emergency Medicine Expert Witness A Day in the Life of an Emergency Medicine Expert Witness

A Day in the Life of an Emergency Medicine Expert Witness

Colin Holburn is an EWI fellow, governor and founding member. A consultant in accident and emergency medicine, he has been practising as an Expert...

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Looking for more news relevant to the Expert Witness community? Why not check out our database of cases relevant to Expert Evidence or the latest and previous editions of our member magazine, Expert Matters.

News

Clicking on one of the topics below will display news items relevant to that topic. You can also use the search bar below to identify news items.

Can capacity be assessed on papers without a consultation?
Case Updates

Can capacity be assessed on papers without a consultation?

Any uncertainty as to whether a psychiatrist can provide an expert report as a paper-based assessment is answered by this case.

In this case the paper-based assessment was sufficient for the court to conclude that, having regard to the Mental Capacity Act 2005, s 48, there were "reasons to believe that the Appellant lacks capacity". However, the fact that the court did not make a finding of a lack of capacity and transferred the case to a Tier 3 (High Court) Judge of the Court of Protection in order to determine the matter of capacity indicates how the court recognises how much more difficult it is to make a finding when the report relies on a paper-based assessment compared to a consultation with the subject of the report.   

MacPherson v Sunderland City Council (Rev1) [2024] EWCA Civ 1579 

JXX v Scott Archibald [2025] EWHC 69 (SCCO)
Case Updates

JXX v Scott Archibald [2025] EWHC 69 (SCCO)

In considering whether the claimant should be required to provide a breakdown of expert and medical agency fees, the judge decided to offer the claimant the option of either providing the breakdown of expert and medical reporting organisation fees, to enable an assessment of work of both the expert and the MRO, or not providing that information and having the expert fees assessed on the hypothetical basis that there was no medical reporting organisation involved.

Call for evidence: Use of evidence generated by software in criminal proceedings
News

Call for evidence: Use of evidence generated by software in criminal proceedings

The Ministry of Justice has published a call for evidence on the use of evidence generated by software in criminal proceedings.

The call for evidence is to help the Ministry better understand how the current presumption concerning the admissibility of computer evidence is working in practice, and whether it is fit for purpose in the modern world. 

Consent – post-Montgomery
Case Updates

Consent – post-Montgomery

Although this is a dental/maxillofacial negligence case, it is of importance for all healthcare experts instructed in cases where consent may be an issue. It highlights points about which experts should enquire when there may be an issue as to consent to a surgical or other procedure. In this case it was found that the consent process was deficient in a number of respects. It is also a case which illustrates how expert evidence can separately assist the court on the issues of breach of duty, causation, condition and prognosis.

Winterbotham v Shahrak (Rev1) [2024] EWHC 2633 (KB) 

Government Response on Revisions to the Medical  Reporting Process for Road  Traffic Accident Claims
News

Government Response on Revisions to the Medical Reporting Process for Road Traffic Accident Claims

The Government has published its response to the consultation it ran from 18 July to 10 October 2023 on 'Revisions to the Medical Reporting Process for Road Traffic Accident Claims’. The report setting out the government's response summarises the responses received, along with information on the decisions taken and the next steps in relation to implementing outcomes related to the policy proposals consulted upon.

The Government is also engaging with stakeholders until 31 January 2025 on one of its next steps, further revisions to the fixed cost medical reports. 

Podcast Episode 8: Re-evaluating your opinion
Podcast

Podcast Episode 8: Re-evaluating your opinion

In the 8th episode of the Expert Matters Podcast, we discuss re-evaluating your opinion. We look at possible reasons why you might wish to re-evaluate your opinion and the stages in the proceedings where re-evaluation is most likely to occur, before hearing from three senior judges on how re-evaluating your opinion can sometimes be positive for your expert evidence, but may also be disastrous. 

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