I’m pleased to announce a new collaboration between the Public Defense Education team at the School of Government and Indigent Defense Services. I frequently get questions from defense lawyers about expert witnesses. Where do you find experts? How do you know which expert is right for your case? How do you go about getting funding for one in your case? How much information should I give the expert? Sarah Olson is of course the guru in this area, and she constantly provides defense attorneys with assistance on expert witness issues. As Forensic Resource Counsel for IDS, she teaches, writes, and advises on all things forensic. Her website is a wealth of information on experts, including a database of expert witnesses, sample motions for expert funds, and the latest news and developments in forensic disciplines. Together with Paul Bonner in the IT department of the SOG, we have put together a short video discussing the basic mechanics of getting and working effectively with an expert witness (Well, Paul put it together. Thanks again for his techno-wizardry!). If you are already comfortable with the process of working with experts, you may not learn much new. But for readers who are new to working with experts or just need a refresher, it provides a succinct discussion on best practices. Check it out on Vimeo here. Email us with any feedback at dixon@sog.unc.edu and sarah.r.olson@nccourts.org.
