CHILDREN AND THE LAW
...Evidentiary Issues
......Expert Witnesses (Psych. Opinion)
.........Opinion In General
12 Cards On This Topic:
  • Expert testimony admissible re any subject sufficiently beyond common experience such that testimony will assist trier of fact.
  • Witness is qualified as expert if he/she has special knowledge, skill, experience, training or education to be considered expert on subject of testimony.
  • Based on profess. experience, E could testify to general behavioral traits of child abuse Vs re delayed reporting; testimony probative as it rehab’d C’s credibility after cross.
  • No abuse of discretion in admitting O's testimony on stun gun M used where DA never asked O to be qualified as an expert, sufficient foundation laid, and O's testimony clearly regarding area beyond common experience.
  • Psychologist's testimony interpreting Howard N. was an irrelevant and inadmissible conclusion of law.
  • As not reasonably probable that admission of foster mother's testimony about V would have resulted in verdict more favorable to D, error in excluding her proposed testimony did not merit reversal.
  • Psychological expert may give opinion in dependency proceeding that child was sexually abused based on child’s actions and words.
  • Psychological expert may not express opinion identifying alleged child abuser based on child’s actions or words.
  • Expert may testify re reactions of child molest victims.
  • Expert testimony not required to establish that minor’s deviant sexual acts provide justifiable reason to inquire re origins of minor’s behavior.
  • Expert testimony that victims often delay in reporting molestation properly admitted.
  • Harmless error to admit therapist’s opinion that father molested minor as court did not rely on it as it was lay opinion: Therapist not expert in identification of perpetrators.