EXPERT WITNESS

By definition, an expert witness is a witness, who by virtue of education, training, skill, or experience, is believed to have knowledge in a particular subject beyond that of the average person, sufficient that others may officially (and legally) rely upon the witness's specialised (scientific, technical or other) opinion about an evidence or fact issue within the scope of their expertise, referred to as the expert opinion, as an assistance to the fact-finder. Expert witnesses may also deliver expert evidence about facts from the domain of their expertise.

The Practice Direction on Civil Procedure Rule 35 states that “It is the duty of an expert to help the court” and that this duty “is paramount and overrides any obligation to the person from whom the expert has received instructions or by whom he is paid”. The rules are strict and demand that an expert should provide objective, unbiased opinion, and should not assume “the role of an advocate.”

Chartered Land Surveyors at Maltby Land Surveys Ltd can act as an expert witness in relation to the complexities of boundary disputes.