Introduction
The courtroom has changed over time, and so have the rules for admissibility acceptance or validity, especially as evidence in a court of law . In this lesson, we will learn about the role of an expert witness and the rules that now govern what information he or she can present to the jury.
Following successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to...
- Explain the requirements of an expert witness.
- Present evidence in the form of oral testimony.
Essential Questions
- What does an expert witness need to consider prior to providing testimony in court?
- What precautions should be taken when collecting evidence to ensure that evidence will be allowed in court?
Enduring Understandings
- An exchange of material will occur whenever someone is at a crime scene (Locard's Exchange Principle). Materials left behind (or carried away) from the crime scene as well as markings and impressions from those items can be linked to an individual or item.
- Forensics requires a team of practitioners representing all areas of science.
- The principles of scientific inquiry are required in all crime scene and forensic science analysis.
- Forensic results are open to the interpretation and subject to the limitation of the pathologist's knowledge and methods.
- Evidence must be collected in a specific and strategic manner, as well as systematically documented, to ensure that no tampering or contamination occurs.
The above objectives correspond with the Alabama Course of Study: Forensic Science and Crime Scene Investigation standards: 9, 44.