The High Court Rules 2016 state that an "expert witness has an overriding duty to assist the court impartially on relevant matters within the expert's area of expertise". Within those rules and the Evidence Act 2006 the parameters for expert evidence are set, supported by a body of constantly evolving case law.
Expert Evidence in Civil Proceedings is a source work for civil litigators, civil litigation students, members of the judiciary and those who appear as expert witnesses. It offers a subject based analysis of issues arising from expert evidence being called in proceedings with each chapter standing alone as a complete discussion of a topic.
The opening chapters of the book set the scene for expert evidence and its role in the courts with a short history of its origins in the Ikarian Reefer shipping case and discussion of the rationale, benefits and dangers of it being utilised. From there the text follows the life of a practitioner's relationship with expert evidence, from the must-know limits and nature of expert evidence through to selecting and preparing an expert, settling expert briefs, managing bias and ensuring compliance with the Code of Conduct in practice. The closing chapters discuss costs and what remedies are available when expert evidence is proved wrong.
Expert Evidence in Civil Proceedings captures the principles of expert evidence in a unique snapshot of the law with an eye on the avalanche of ongoing case law and developments. The text is a reference, a guide, and a tool for discussion and debate.
