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An expert witness is the only witness permitted to give their opinion in testimony. The expert may do so only after the following conditions are all met to the satisfaction of the presiding judicial officer:
- The expert's opinions are likely to be helpful.
- The expert is able to provide an opinion based on specialized education, training, experience and knowledge.
- The expert is able to speak about methods, instruments and techniques established and relied on throughout the expert's peer community.
- The expert is able to demonstrate that only accepted and reliable methods were used in the specific case.
- The expert is able to identify evidence that he or she has personally examined.
The sufficiency of all predicate or foundational evidence is a legal determination, typically made by the judge.
Additional Online Courses
- What Every First Responding Officer Should Know About DNA Evidence
- Collecting DNA Evidence at Property Crime Scenes
- DNA – A Prosecutor’s Practice Notebook
- Crime Scene and DNA Basics
- Laboratory Safety Programs
- DNA Amplification
- Population Genetics and Statistics
- Non-STR DNA Markers: SNPs, Y-STRs, LCN and mtDNA
- Firearms Examiner Training
- Forensic DNA Education for Law Enforcement Decisionmakers
- What Every Investigator and Evidence Technician Should Know About DNA Evidence
- Principles of Forensic DNA for Officers of the Court
- Law 101: Legal Guide for the Forensic Expert
- Laboratory Orientation and Testing of Body Fluids and Tissues
- DNA Extraction and Quantitation
- STR Data Analysis and Interpretation
- Communication Skills, Report Writing, and Courtroom Testimony
- Español for Law Enforcement
- Amplified DNA Product Separation for Forensic Analysts