CFI Expert Witness & Court Testimony Flashcards

Under Federal Rule of Evidence 702, what is the primary criterion that must be met before a fire investigator can testify as an expert witness?

Answer: The witness must have knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education sufficient to assist the trier of fact

FRE 702 allows expert testimony from any witness whose specialized knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education will help the trier of fact understand the evidence or determine a fact in issue.

The Daubert standard, established by the U.S. Supreme Court, requires trial judges to act as 'gatekeepers' for expert testimony by evaluating:

Answer: Whether the testimony is based on sufficient facts, reliable methodology, and reliable application of principles

Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals (1993) requires judges to assess whether expert testimony rests on a reliable scientific methodology properly applied to the facts of the case.

When a fire investigator is designated as an expert witness, what does the term 'voir dire' refer to in this context?

Answer: The process of examining and qualifying the expert's credentials before the jury

Voir dire in expert witness context is a preliminary examination conducted by attorneys and the judge to determine whether the proposed expert is qualified to offer opinion testimony.

What type of testimony is an expert fire investigator uniquely permitted to offer that a fact witness cannot?

Answer: Opinions and conclusions based on their specialized knowledge

Unlike fact witnesses who can only testify about what they personally observed, expert witnesses are permitted to offer opinions, conclusions, and inferences based on their specialized expertise.

What is the purpose of a 'Frye standard' jurisdiction, and how does it differ from Daubert?

Answer: Frye requires the expert's methodology to be generally accepted in the relevant scientific community; Daubert applies a broader reliability test

The Frye standard (from Frye v. United States, 1923) requires that an expert's methodology be generally accepted in the relevant scientific field, which is a narrower test than Daubert's multi-factor reliability analysis.

In a civil fire investigation case, what standard of proof must the expert's opinion typically meet?

Answer: More probable than not (preponderance of the evidence)

In civil cases, expert opinions must be held to a reasonable degree of professional certainty, meaning the conclusion is more likely true than not — a greater than 50% probability.