Often considered one of the most critical elements of civil and criminal cases, expert witnesses are an integral part of the court system. An expert witness is someone that the court has determined is qualified to provide information and explanation to the jury to understand the case better. And as you may imagine, it takes specialized skills, training, education, and experience to be considered an expert witness.
At the time of the trial, the expert witness must be qualified by the court, and qualification is not a one-time event; each time the expert witness will be offering his/her opinion on a case, they must be requalified anew, regardless of any expert witness history.
The expert witness must always remember that their highest obligation is to the court, regardless of which party is paying their fee.