When a dispute or charge comes before a court, that court has a duty to weigh the evidence presented so it can come to a fair decision. Yet justice can be served, only when the parties weighing the evidence have a sound understanding of it. Often, the subject matter of a case falls far outside the realm of common knowledge, and an expert is needed to assist the court in fully understanding the key information involved.
In most such circumstances, an expert is charged with providing unbiased analysis and opinion, from their perspective as a qualified specialist, that illuminate the facts of the case. Once an expert’s opinions and reports have been presented to the court, they are typically treated as evidence—and can therefore have considerable influence over the outcome of the case.