Decisional Dimensions in Expert Witness Testimony - A Structural Analysis

Area of Science:

• Forensic Science
• Legal Adjudication
• Decision-Making Theory

Background:

• The intersection of forensic science and legal adjudication presents challenges in communicating complex scientific information to lay fact-finders.
• Existing legal processes grapple with integrating general scientific knowledge from expert witnesses into specific case decisions.
• There is a need to address the empirical and normative dimensions of expert witness testimony and its impact on legal outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically analyze the systemic relationship between forensic science expert testimony and legal adjudication.
• To clarify the nature of expert witness testimony by examining empirical, normative, and doctrinal perspectives.
• To advocate for a decision-making framework that enhances understanding between expert witnesses and fact-finders.

Main Methods:

• A critical transversal analysis of current empirical, normative, and doctrinal understandings of expert witness testimony.
• Examination of real-world examples from forensic science reporting.
• Review of policy documents from professional bodies in forensic science.

Main Results:

• The relationship between forensic science and legal adjudication is complex, particularly concerning the communication of scientific knowledge.
• Current focus on formal reasoning methods in expert testimony overlooks the crucial role of judgment and decision-making.
• Structural features of expert testimony are integral to a broader decision-making process.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the decisional dimension of expert witness testimony is vital for clarifying the roles of experts and fact-finders.
• Improved mutual understanding between experts and fact-finders can enhance the quality of legal adjudication.
• Integrating decision-making principles into the analysis of expert testimony offers a frontier understanding in forensic science and law.