Expert Witness Blog

Practical guidance for expert witnesses — testimony, report writing, depositions, fees and building a successful practice.

October 18, 2017

Expert Witness Sample Jury Instructions in Idaho

Just instructions regarding expert witnesses in Idaho are outlined in Idaho’s Criminal Jury Instructions, Rule 345. IDAHO CRIM. JURY INSTR. 345 (2017). This rule instructs the jury that it should analyze each expert’s testimony and determine how much weight to give each expert. Id. When determining the weight to give each expert, the jury should “consider the qualifications and credibility

October 17, 2017

Expert Witness Sample Jury Instructions in Hawaii

Jury instructions regarding expert witnesses in Hawaii are outlined in Hawaii’s Civil Jury Instructions, rule 5.4. HAW. CIVIL JURY INSTR. 5.4 (1999). This rule instructs the jury that experts are given that title based on their “education, experience, training or otherwise.” Id. Given this, experts can testify as to their opinions and reasons for their opinions on the case at

October 16, 2017

Expert Witness Sample Jury Instructions in Delaware

Jury instructions regarding expert witnesses in Delaware are outlined in Delaware’s Civil Pattern Jury Instructions, § 23.10 and § 23.11. DEL. CIVIL PATTERN JURY INSTR. § 23.10 (1998). This rule instructs the jury that experts have a “special skill or knowledge” that makes their knowledge base greater than that of the “average person” based on their “special study or experience.”

October 15, 2017

Expert Witness Sample Jury Instructions in Washington, D.C.

Jury instructions regarding expert witnesses in Washington D.C. are outlined in Washington D.C.’s Standardized Civil Jury Instructions § 2.12. D.C. CIVIL JURY INSTR. § 2.12 2017). This rule explains that an expert can be labeled as such given the person’s “training, skill, experience, or education.” Id. The jury is instructed to “evaluate expert testimony like any other evidence.” Id. Juries

October 14, 2017

Expert Witness Sample Jury Instructions in Alaska

Jury instructions regarding expert witnesses in Alaska are outlined in Alaska’s Civil Pattern Jury Instructions, § 1.08. ALASKA CIVIL PATTERN JURY INSTR. § 1.08 (2013). This rule explains to the jury that expert witnesses have a special expertise that the jury may find helpful in understanding the case and/or other testimony. Id. The jury is instructed to determine how much

October 13, 2017

Expert Witness Sample Jury Instructions in Nevada

Jury instructions regarding expert witnesses are outlined in Nevada’s Civil Jury Instructions, Rule 3EX.1. NEV. JURY INSTR. CIVIL 3EX.1 (2011). This rule explains to the jury that experts are witnesses that have a particular expertise and are allowed to testify as to their opinions in the area of their expertise. Id. The jury should consider all expert testimony and “weigh

October 12, 2017

Expert Witness Sample Jury Instructions in Mississippi

Jury instructions regarding expert witnesses are outlined in Mississippi’s Model Jury Instructions, Civil rule 213. MISS. PLAIN LANG. MODEL JURY INSTR. CIVIL 213 (2015). This rule instructs the jury that experts can testify to their opinions based on their expertise. Id. Additionally, the jury is not required to accept the expert’s opinions, and the jury is given the duty to

October 11, 2017

Expert Witness Sample Jury Instructions in Louisiana

Jury instructions regarding expert witnesses are outlined in Louisiana’s Civil Jury Instructions, § 2:5. LA. CIVIL JURY INSTR. § 2:5 (2016). This rule instructs the jury that experts are permitted to testify as to their opinions regarding the case at hand given their particular expertise or education. Id. The jury is instructed to evaluate the expert’s opinions and determine how

October 10, 2017

Expert Witness Sample Jury Instructions in Kentucky

Jury instructions in Kentucky are not compiled in a single source as with most states. Instead, Rule 51 of Kentucky’s Rules of Civil Procedure provides that the court can require the parties to submit jury instructions to be given to the jury. KY. REV. STAT. ANN. § 6.51 (West 2017). Case law provides that jury instructions should be “bare bones”

October 9, 2017

Expert Witness Sample Jury Instructions in Kansas

Jury instructions regarding expert witnesses are outlined in Kansas’s Pattern Jury Instructions, Civil rule 102.50. PATTERN INSTR. KAN. CIVIL 102.50 (2016). This rule allows experts to testify as to their opinions on matters that are within their area of expertise. Id. The jury is instructed to evaluate expert testimony the same way that it is supposed to evaluate testimony from