{"id":887483,"date":"2016-03-08T15:59:25","date_gmt":"2016-03-08T22:59:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/?p=887483"},"modified":"2016-03-07T16:31:37","modified_gmt":"2016-03-07T23:31:37","slug":"cross-examining-a-forensic-expert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/cross-examining-a-forensic-expert\/","title":{"rendered":"Cross-examining a Forensic Expert"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Roger M. Hughes | Contra Costa Lawyer | March 1, 2016<\/p>\n<p>We have all been there\u2014facing an opposing\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.expertwitnessinconstruction.com\/experts.php\" target=\"_blank\">expert witness<\/a> supported by graphs and\u00a0computer analysis; opinions shrouded in\u00a0mystery, veiled with glib rhetoric. How do\u00a0you take on such a witness? The savvy litigator would\u00a0do well to consider challenging the expert\u2019s adherence\u00a0to the \u201cscientific method.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>What is the Scientific Method?<\/h2>\n<p>The Oxford English Dictionary defines the scientific\u00a0method as \u201ca procedure that has characterized natural\u00a0science since the 17th century, consisting in systematic\u00a0observation, measurement and experiment, and the\u00a0formulation, testing and modification of hypotheses.\u201d\u00a0Among the principles of the scientific method is the devising\u00a0and testing of reasonable alternative hypotheses.<\/p>\n<p>Thinking in terms of the scientific method may help\u00a0you confront and challenge an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/review-of-arbitration-awards-lessons-for-the-construction-industry-from-the-tom-brady-case\/\" target=\"_blank\">expert witness\u2019s analysis<\/a>\u00a0in court litigation.<\/p>\n<h2>Challenging An Expert Based Upon Other\u00a0Potential Rational Hypotheses<\/h2>\n<p>A failed retaining wall is a problem, but how do we\u00a0uncover the cause of the problem? We do so by looking\u00a0for testable hypotheses that explain the problem and\u00a0the observable \u201canomalies\u201d that may be associated with\u00a0a problem. As we do so, it is important to keep working\u00a0back from the manifestation to the trigger event. What\u00a0makes a scientific investigation interesting and complex\u00a0is that each step back may reveal \u201cthe cause\u201d or just\u00a0another link in the causation chain.<\/p>\n<p>In doing so, one must push back against the proclivity\u00a0to jump to a desired conclusion. Resist stopping your\u00a0search when you think you have a winner. Keep the dynamic\u00a0nature of the scientific method in mind and force\u00a0yourself to categorize and link even fringe facts, since\u00a0they may broaden your understanding of the anomalies\u00a0and other observations.<\/p>\n<p>Look for and identify each hypothesis that may be\u00a0able to explain the observed anomalies and the ultimate\u00a0problem at hand. The key is to not stop with the\u00a0obvious. Intelligent conjecture will aid in a creative and\u00a0potentially powerful cross-examination of an opposing\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/do-i-have-to-pay-my-adversarys-experts-to-depose-them\/\" target=\"_blank\">expert<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Cross-Examination of Opposing Expert\u00a0Based on a Failure to Test Other Rational\u00a0Hypotheses<\/h2>\n<p>A common flaw in a forensic investigation is the rush\u00a0of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/experienced-experts-confident-vs-dogmatic\/\" target=\"_blank\">expert<\/a> to prove up a theory that supports or rebuts\u00a0a particular theory of liability.\u00a0A strong scientific investigation will\u00a0attempt to systematically eliminate\u00a0rational alternative hypotheses until\u00a0all reasonable challenges have\u00a0been answered. This is the heart of a\u00a0properly conducted scientific investigation\u00a0and fertile ground for cross-examination.\u00a0Consider the following\u00a0testimony:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>A. \u201cI found that the cracks experienced\u00a0at the plaintiff\u2019s home were\u00a0caused by shallow soil creep.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Q. \u201cDid you investigate the possibility that the damage was caused by a deep seated slide?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A. \u201cI did not see any evidence that would lead to such a conclusion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Q. \u201cDid you investigate such a possibility?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A. \u201cI considered it to be very unlikely and that such an investigation would be disproportionally expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Q. \u201cTherefore, you elected not to pursue the possibility that the cause of the damage was deep seated movement?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A. \u201cYes, some possible explanations are sufficiently unlikely as to not merit the time and cost of an expensive investigation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Q. \u201cSo you chose the least expensive investigation that presented the least likelihood of liability to your client?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A. \u201cDeep seated slides are very rare.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Q. \u201cDo you contend that a hypothesis that the damage was caused by deep seated movement is irrational?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A. \u201cNo, unlikely, but not irrational.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Q. \u201cSo you chose to not investigate a rational hypothesis that if true would have supported my clients theory of the cause of damage to his home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A. \u201cYes, because I considered it highly unlikely.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>The Legal Basis for Excluding Unsupported Expert\u00a0Testimony<\/h2>\n<p>In addition to undermining the expert\u2019s analysis, highlighting the failure to rule out alternative hypotheses may give rise to grounds to exclude the expert\u2019s testimony.<\/p>\n<p>In <em>Sargon Enterprises, Inc. v. University of Southern California<\/em> (2012) 55 Cal.4th 747, the California Supreme Court echoed a series of decisions issued by the federal courts in\u00a0the early 1990s and laid out a roadmap for practitioners to challenge expert testimony, admonishing trial judges to act as a \u201cgatekeeper\u201d for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/florida-bar-pushes-back-against-expert-testimony-law\/\" target=\"_blank\">expert testimony<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, the California Supreme Court encouraged trial courts to examine the expert\u2019s use of foundational materials to see whether the expert\u2019s conclusions are logically supported by the materials used, and to preclude any expert\u2019s testimony where it is speculative or otherwise improper.[1] This includes an inquiry into not only the type of material on which an expert relies, but also the expert\u2019s reasoning and whether the data actually supports the expert\u2019s reasoning.[2]<\/p>\n<p>If your cross-examination elicits testimony along the lines of the example above\u2014an admission of a failure to disprove an alternative rational theory\u2014the expert has arguably not met the foundational requirements and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/what-exactly-was-excluded-proffering-expert-opinions-to-preserve-daubertfrye-challenges\/\" target=\"_blank\">expert\u2019s opinion<\/a> may be subject to exclusion.<\/p>\n<p>Under Evidence Code sections 801 and 802, a trial court may exclude expert opinion testimony that is:&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/cclawyer.cccba.org\/2016\/03\/cross-examining-a-forensic-expert\/\" target=\"_blank\">To finish reading this article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Roger M. Hughes | Contra Costa Lawyer | March 1, 2016 We have all been there\u2014facing an opposing\u00a0expert witness supported by graphs and\u00a0computer analysis; opinions shrouded in\u00a0mystery, veiled with glib rhetoric. How do\u00a0you take on such a witness? The savvy litigator would\u00a0do well to consider challenging the expert\u2019s adherence\u00a0to the \u201cscientific method.\u201d What is the&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/cross-examining-a-forensic-expert\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Cross-examining a Forensic Expert<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7],"tags":[99,17,9119],"class_list":["post-887483","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-expert-witness","tag-expert-testimony","tag-expert-witness-2","tag-forensic-expert","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Cross-examining a Forensic Expert - Advise &amp; 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