Instructing an Expert: A toolkit for lawyers and expert witnesses in criminal cases involving children

This illustrated Toolkit provides guidance on how to Instruct an Expert in criminal cases involving a child defendant. The Toolkit outlines the relevant legal framework when using an expert witness and sets out the necessary considerations at each stage of the process. The aim of this resource is to help lawyers rely upon expert evidence as and where needed and for experts to gain knowledge of the requirements when providing their expert evidence. You can access the full Toolkit below, and the illustrations are downloadable without text content via the download button in this banner.

Content Summary

  • Introduction
  • The rules
  • Choosing an expert
  • Appropriate experts
  • How to ensure the admissibility of expert evidence
  • The duty of an expert witness
  • Expert credibility
  • Potential red flags
  • Disclosing evidence
  • Letter of instruction
  • Letter of instruction: Content to consider
  • Expert report
  • Experts can express a degree of support
  • Expert declaration
  • Service of expert evidence
  • Joint statements and joint experts
  • Expert giving evidence
  • Ways to challenge expert evidence

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