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Judges to assess 'expert' witnesses

Wesley Johnson,Press Association
Tuesday 22 March 2011 01:00 GMT
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Judges will be able to test expert evidence before a jury is sworn in under plans drawn up by the Law Commission, which says the moves are needed to reduce miscarriages of justice

One of the country's top judges warned last year that anyone with a "big enough brass neck" and a basic scientific background could pass themselves off as an expert and get away with it.

The new test offers guidance on assessing evidence and would apply "whenever there is a real doubt over the reliability of the evidence that a party proposes to use at trial".

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