Forensic Testimony: Science, Law and Expert Evidence

Forensic Testimony: Science, Law and Expert Evidence—favored with an Honorable Mention in Law & Legal Studies at the Association of American Publishers' 2015 PROSE Awards—provides a clear and intuitive discussion of the legal presentation of expert testimony. The book delves into the effects, processes, and battles that occur in the presentation of opinion and scientific evidence by court-accepted forensic experts. It provides a timely review of the United States Federal Rules of Evidence (FRE) regarding expert testimony, and includes a multi-disciplinary look at the strengths and weaknesses in forensic science courtroom testimony. The statutes and the effects of judicial uses (or non-use) of the FRE, Daubert, Kumho, and the 2009 NAS Report on Forensic Science are also included. The presentation expands to study case law, legal opinions, and studies on the reliability and pitfalls of forensic expertise in the US court system. This book is an essential reference for anyone preparing to give expert testimony of forensic evidence.

Honorable Mention in the 2015 PROSE Awards in Law & Legal Studies from the Association of American PublishersA multi-disciplinary forensic reference examining the strengths and weaknesses of forensic science in courtroom testimonyFocuses on forensic testimony and judicial decisions in light of the Federal Rules of Evidence, case interpretations, and the NAS report findingsCase studies, some from the Innocence Project, assist the reader in distinguishing good testimony from bad

1: History of experts in English Common Law, with Practice Advice for Beginner Experts
2: Science and Forensic Science
3: The Admissibility of Forensic Expert Evidence
4: Professional Expert Forensic Practice
5: Managing Your Forensic Case from Beginning to End: it’s All about Communication
6: Character Traits of Expert Witnesses: The Good and the Bad
7: Voire Dire and Direct Examination of the Expert
8: Cross Examination: The Expert’s Challenge and the Lawyers’ Strategies
9: Uniqueness and Individualizations in Forensic Science
10: Forensic Failures
11: Forensic Expert Ethics
12: The Unparalleled Power of Expert Testimony