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...
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...
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...

Check out our Case Updates and Member Magazine

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.

Concerns raised about pilot scheme for expert evidence in the Family Courts
Simon Berney-Edwards 971

Concerns raised about pilot scheme for expert evidence in the Family Courts

bySimon Berney-Edwards

The Law Society Gazette has raised concerns about a pilot project, funded by the Department of Education, and running in NHS Trusts in Manchester, Sheffield, and Birmingham.

 

According to an advert for the scheme’s Quality and Governance Manager:

 

“The Suspected Inflicted Head Injury Service (SIHIS) is being piloted at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. It aims to trial a new approach for the hospital providing information to the Family Court where there is a Child Protection Order owing to suspected inflicted head injuries. As part of the service, a range of highly expert consultants from a range of specialties undertake assessments of children, discuss findings with one another, and write a formal report for the Family Court.”

 

Little detail is known about the project, but senior family lawyers are concerned that it will reduce the cases going forward to trial and curb the cross-examination of experts.

 

This project raises questions for The Expert Witness Institute too.

 

Chief Executive Officer, Simon Berney-Edwards, said:

 

“From the way this is described, I would question whether the report that is created by the multi-disciplinary team would be complaint with both the duties of an Expert Witness and the Family Procedure Rules and Practice Directions. Reports are supposed to be the independent product of the Expert Witness. In addition, cases such as Pinkus v Directline that experts should not be discussing their opinion with others. I would therefore question whether any report created by a  multi-disciplinary team could be accepted as expert evidence.”

 

The Gazette reports that lawyers have been excluded from discussions and information regarding the project. They have contacted the Department or Education for comment.

 

Meanwhile, we have contacted the Family Division’s Expert Witness working groups to see if they have been included in discussions and to find out their views.

Share

Print
Comments are only visible to subscribers.