Information Legal Obligations FSR-I-400 Issue 8 © Crown Copyright 2020 The text in this document (excluding the Forensic Science Regulator’s logo and material quoted from other sources) may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium providing it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as Crown Copyright and its title specified. Forensic Science Regulator INFORMATION – INFORMATION – INFORMATION – INFORMATION – INFORMATION – INFORMATION - INFORMATION 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................. 7 1.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Expert Evidence .................................................................................................................................. 7 1.3 Basic Condition .................................................................................................................................. 7 1.4 Obligations .......................................................................................................................................... 7 2. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 14 2.1 Purpose ............................................................................................................................................. 14 2.2 Sources .............................................................................................................................................. 14 2.3 Citation .............................................................................................................................................. 15 2.4 Scope ................................................................................................................................................. 16 2.5 Reservation ....................................................................................................................................... 17 3. MODIFICATION ......................................................................................................... 17 4. KEY JUDICIAL GUIDANCE ....................................................................................... 18 4.1 The Ikarian Reefer (1993; High Court - Cresswell J) ..................................................................... 18 4.2 R v. Harris & Ors. (2005; CA Crim Div) ........................................................................................... 19 4.3 R v. Bowman (2006; CA Crim Div) .................................................................................................. 20 4.4 Codification of the Guidance ........................................................................................................... 22 4.5 Tribunal Guidance ............................................................................................................................ 22 5. THE ROLE OF THE EXPERT WITNESS ................................................................... 26 5.1 Overriding Objective ........................................................................................................................ 26 5.2 Case Management ............................................................................................................................ 29 5.3 Expert Evidence ................................................................................................................................ 30 5.4 Professional Witnesses ................................................................................................................... 32 5.5 Objectivity and Impartiality .............................................................................................................. 33 5.6 Honesty and Good Faith .................................................................................................................. 43 5.7 Reasonable Skill and Care ............................................................................................................... 46 5.8 Clarity ................................................................................................................................................. 50 FSR-I-400 Issue 8 Page 2 of 183 Forensic Science Regulator INFORMATION – INFORMATION – INFORMATION – INFORMATION – INFORMATION – INFORMATION - INFORMATION 5.9 Provision of Scientific Criteria ........................................................................................................ 50 5.10 Disclosure of Hypothesis and its Status ........................................................................................ 54 5.11 Preservation and Disclosure of Relevant Material and Facts ...................................................... 55 5.12 Role on Appeal .................................................................................................................................. 55 6. DUTY OF DISCLOSURE & PRESERVATION ........................................................... 55 6.2 Expert’s Personal Duty in Common Law ....................................................................................... 55 6.3 Disclosure of Underlying Data with Report ................................................................................... 59 6.4 Expert’s ‘Gatekeeper’ Role to Retain, Record and Reveal ........................................................... 59 6.5 Manner of Disclosure ....................................................................................................................... 62 6.6 The Defence ...................................................................................................................................... 64 7. THE ADMISSIBILITY OF EXPERT TESTIMONY ...................................................... 65 7.1 General Admissibility of Evidence .................................................................................................. 65 7.2 Admissibility of Expert Evidence .................................................................................................... 67 7.3 Law Commission .............................................................................................................................. 79 7.4 Accreditation ..................................................................................................................................... 80 7.5 Quality Standards ............................................................................................................................. 81 7.6 Validation ........................................................................................................................................... 82 7.7 Registration ....................................................................................................................................... 85 7.8 Work of Others Admissible in Informing Opinion on Primary Facts .......................................... 85 7.9 Bayesian Statistics ........................................................................................................................... 89 7.10 Future Research and Developing Areas ........................................................................................ 96 7.11 Degrees of Support .......................................................................................................................... 99 7.12 Enumeration of Range of Possible Explanations for Particular Events ................................... 101 7.13 No Closed Categories of Expert Evidence ................................................................................... 102 7.14 The Ultimate Issue for the Court ................................................................................................... 103 7.15 Conflict of Interest .......................................................................................................................... 105 7.16 Compromising Admissibility ......................................................................................................... 106 7.17 Disclosure ....................................................................................................................................... 106 FSR-I-400 Issue 8 Page 3 of 183 Forensic Science Regulator INFORMATION – INFORMATION – INFORMATION – INFORMATION – INFORMATION – INFORMATION - INFORMATION 7.18 Restrictions on Content ................................................................................................................. 109 8. FORM OF WRITTEN EXPERT EVIDENCE: MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS ...... 110 8.1 Forms of Written Evidence ............................................................................................................ 110 8.2 Scope of Requirement.................................................................................................................... 111 8.3 Statutory Requirements ................................................................................................................. 111 8.4 Application of CrimPR 19 .............................................................................................................. 112 8.5 Requirements of CrimPR 19.2 ....................................................................................................... 113 8.6 Requirements in CrimPR 19.4 ......................................................................................................