Require a single, co-appointed expert witness in any medicolegal case

Closed 76 signatures

What the petition asks

Medical legal cases require an impartial expert witness to allow lay people to understand the context of medical terms, procedures and outcomes. These are currently appointed by each side and often give conflicting evidence.

Co-appointment of a single expert witness will improve fairness.

Each side paying the expert witness creates an adverse incentive for the expert witness to create a supportive report for the paying side, particularly in relation to acquiring future work (an adverse report is unlikely to result in future work).

For that reason, legal cases may be compromised by the expert witness giving evidence that is not impartial. Requiring co-appointment of a single expert witness should improve fairness while also eliminating cases that are more clear cut.

Timeline

29 Mar 2017	Petition opened for signatures
2 May 2017	Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 76

Status Closed

Opened 29 Mar 2017

Closed 2 May 2017

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