This two-day awareness course is ideal for any expert and professional witness who may have to give evidence in court.
Attendees will be provided with an overview of the Criminal Justice System and awareness of Court Systems. Also, the course will explore the roles, requirements, duties and practicalities of being a professional and expert witness within the Criminal Justice System.
This course is part lecture-based and part practical giving opportunity to practice giving evidence in court.
Please note that this course only provides an introduction to an expert witness’ role in the court room and does not substitute a full training course recommended for individuals who regularly provide scientific statements for court and will be expected to give evidence.
Get in touch with our training team at training@forensic-access.co.uk to book your place.
**Please note that we can only take instruction via a Barrister or Solicitor, we do not take instruction directly from private individuals.
We are always interested in talking to experienced forensic scientists with a minimum of 5 years of forensic science work who are interested in working as Consultants to undertake ad-hoc work for us.
science@forensic-access.co.uk
Q
Who is this Course for?
Undergraduate and Post-Graduate Students
Course Topics
The course will cover a range of areas to build court awareness. An example timetable as follows:
Day 1
Lecture Content:
- Criminal Court system, types of Court and personnel within the court and the overall CJS
- Role and responsibilities of the expert witness
- Differences between a professional and an expert witness
- Overview of relevant legislation applying to an expert witness
- Forensic Regulator Guidance in relation to expert witnesses and adherence to the Forensic Regulator Code of Conduct
- Importance of scientific accuracy and staying within remit of expert discipline
- Case file management and the importance of contemporaneous notes
- Report writing, relevant legislation and the importance of peer review
- Reviewing and critiquing the report of another expert – agreed facts, disputed areas and joint reports
- Consideration of hypotheses, awareness of confirmation bias and how to mitigate this
- Court preparation
- Attendance at court
- Presentation skills
- Methods of examination and cross examination and coping strategies
- What a barrister requires from the expert
Practical exercises in:
- Presenting skills
- Court demeanour
- Explaining principles and evidence in layman’s terms
Day 2
Practical exercises in:
- Presenting skills
- Court demeanour
- Explaining principles and evidence in layman’s terms
- Evidence in Chief
- Cross examination
