Criteria for instructing a Psychology Expert Witness
The primary criteria when selecting the most suitable professional to undertake an Expert Witness report should always be their experience and qualifications. Examples of criteria for validating the competence of a Psychology Expert may include:
- Relevant graduate and post-graduate qualifications specific to the case in question
- Several years of relevant professional experience after initial qualification
- Articles having been published in recognised journals or publications relevant to the issues in hand
- Recent professional experience in the specialist area required for the case
In addition to their experience there are several other factors that may influence your decision as to who to instruct to undertake an Expert Psychological assessment of your client. These depend on the nature of the proceedings, but below is a list of points to consider when instructing an Expert Witness report:
- The Expert’s ability to meet the required deadline for submission of the report
- Funding – in Legally Aided cases it is important that they are prepared to work at the rates set by the Legal Aid Agency. In privately funded cases this is not an issue, but cost may still be an important consideration
- Location can also make a difference, not only to cost such as how far the expert may have to travel to see the client, but also in terms of their knowledge of services available in the local area.
- You or your client’s ability to work with them. The professional relationship that you have with the Expert and also your client’s perspective can have an influence on how the assessment progresses and the confidence that you or your client has in the Expert
- The flexibility of the Expert – are they able to offer different options for an appointment, be it date or location? Are they willing to discuss or adapt to a change in instructions, should new issues or information come to light? Are they available to attend court at relatively short notice? etc…
