Individual Expert Witnesses Make a Difference When Cases Go to Trial
Heading to trial is a sometimes uncertain and scary proposition. Juries are notoriously prone to error, and besides, they can just be unpredictable on their face. With this in mind, many people are interested principally in giving themselves the best chance. They want the truth to win out so that they can get the damage award that they deserve. Whether it’s a contract dispute case or some other bit of complex litigation, the goal at trial is to present a case that is both clear and persuasive. As many are finding out today, this gets much easier for parties that make use of the good expert witnesses out there.
Expert witness testimony is important primarily because of the clarifying effect that it has on the jury. When cases get down into difficult legal details, juries can get bored and tired. They can often grow frustrated with lawyers who do not take the time to make the facts clear. Expert witnesses succeed because they help to make sure that the jury knows exactly what is going on. Many lawyers today have found that when the jury is well-apprised of the facts, that jury will be willing to reward the side that made things clearer.
Another benefit of bringing in experts is the persuasive value. By bringing these people into play, one can help swing the jury toward your side. The jury often operates with a belief about what lawyers are trying to accomplish. They know up front that both lawyers have an agenda and even the clients on either side have an agenda. Why would an objective expert be anything other than truthful, though? Even if you are the one paying the expert to testify, the jury is still likely to believe that the expert is a neutral party just trying to get to the truth. These people can have a heavily persuasive impact on juries when it gets to the trial level.
Ultimately cases are won and lost when lawyers make the all-important decision to either use an expert or not. Good experts have a way of connecting to juries. They have a unique talent for explaining hard topics and making the jury see the case in a way that is favorable to the client. This is a skill that must be valued properly for those lawyers who want to win.