Survey archive
This page provides access to reports on past surveys carried out by
J S Publications.
June 2009: Expert witness survey
Our eighth survey of the expert witness community
Gathering data on areas such as instruction rates, changes in
types of work and expert fees, this survey provides a snapshot of
the current state of expert witness practice. When taken in conjunction
with the surveys conducted in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2007, this series of
surveys provides the very best source of intelligence on the changing
nature of expert witness work.
Carried out: Summer 2009
Number of respondents: 511
Report:
Autumn 2009: Ministry of Justice Consultation survey
Legal Aid Funding Reforms – expert fees
On 20 August 2009, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) published its Consultation Paper CP 18/09
– Legal Aid: Funding Reforms – that includes proposals on expert fees. The MoJ acknowledges
its proposals are based on very little hard data. The UK Register of Expert Witnesses has been collating
data on fees since 1995 which provides an unrivalled insight into the change in expert witness fee rates
over time. However, our bi-annual surveys do not gather data that partitions fee rates between public
and private case funding or across the civil, criminal and family arenas. In order to inform our response
to the MoJ we conducted a quick snap shot survey to give us the specific insight we needed.
Carried out: Autumn 2009
Number of respondents: 438
Report:
Spring 2009: Law Commission Consultation survey
The Admissibility of Expert Evidence in Criminal Proceedings
On 7 April 2009 the Law Commission published a consultation paper concerned with proposals
to give the criminal court power to exclude expert evidence that is determined to be ‘unreliable’.
Here at the UK Register of Expert Witnesses we have long argued for changes in the way the criminal
courts deal with expert evidence. This work by the Law Commission is therefore most welcome – but
does it get it right?
Carried out: Autumn 2009
Number of respondents: 224
Report:
February 2009: Forensic Science Regulator Consultation survey
Forensic practitioner registration in the criminal justice system
On 15 January 2009 the Forensic Science Regulator, Andrew Rennison, published a consultation paper
looking at the future of forensic practitioner registration in the criminal justice system (CJS). It
proposes sweeping rationalisation of the current arrangements. In place of the hodge-podge of current
systems, which are based on various criteria testing different aspects of forensic practice assessed
against a multitude of standards, the Regulator is recommending a single accreditation system operated
by the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS) based on internationally recognised ISO standards.
Carried out: Autumn 2009
Number of respondents: 319
Report:
June 2007: Expert witness survey
Our seventh survey of the expert witness community
Gathering data on areas such as instruction rates, changes in
types of work and expert fees, this survey provides a snapshot of
the current state of expert witness practice. When taken in conjunction
with the surveys conducted in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2005, this series of
surveys provides the very best source of intelligence on the changing
nature of expert witness work.
Carried out: Summer 2007
Number of respondents: 414
Report:
December 2006: VAT Consultation survey
HMRC &nash; Extending VAT to medico-legal work
On 20 November 2003, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) issued its judgment in the case of
Dr Peter d’Ambrumenil and Dispute Resolution Services (C-307/01). The decision affects the way in
which the UK has viewed VAT exemption for some health services. As a result, the VAT treatment
in respect of some services, such as medico-legal reporting, will have to change.
Carried out: December 2006
Number of respondents: 39
Report:
January 2006: Criminal Procedure Rules Consultation survey
Criminal Procedure Rules for Expert Evidence
An interesting feature of our submission to Lord Carter’s Review of Legal Aid Procurement
was the extent to which improvements in the use of expert evidence will rely on changes to the
governing rule. It is, then, particularly welcome that this is the very moment the Criminal
Procedure Rules (CrimPR) Committee decides to consult on the rules that govern expert evidence
in the criminal justice system.
Carried out: December 2005
Number of respondents: 67
Report:
October 2005: Carter Review Consultation survey
Criminal Procedure Rules for Expert Evidence
After the, frankly, premature and ill-informed attempts by the Legal Services
Commission (LSC) to reduce their spend on expert evidence (see The Use of Experts),
we are now presented with an opportunity to set out in detail how expert witnesses
would like to change the way they are used in Legal Aid cases. The aim of Lord Carter’s
Review of Legal Aid Procurement, with respect to expert evidence, is to seek more
efficient and effective use of expert witnesses. There is surely no better place
to find these answers than amongst the expert witnesses themselves.
Carried out: October 2005
Number of respondents: 264
Report:
June 2005: Expert witness survey
Our sixth survey of the expert witness community
Gathering data on areas such as instruction rates, changes in
types of work and expert fees, this survey provides a snapshot of
the current state of expert witness practice. When taken in conjunction
with the surveys conducted in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003, this series of
surveys provides the very best source of intelligence on the changing
nature of expert witness work.
Carried out: Summer 2005
Number of respondents: 574
Report:
June 2005: Meadow - villain or scapegoat
Spot Survey to coincide with the start of the GMC hearing on Meadow
The UK Register of Expert Witnesses conducts occasional spot surveys to gather the views of the 1000’s of experts
in its expert witness community. This spot survey was designed to find out how expert witnesses would answer the question, posed
by the on 20 June 2005 and reported on the
Press Association and BBC news services, namely:
‘Is Prof. Sir Roy Meadow a villain - as often portrayed in the press – or is he just a bloke doing his best being
made a scapegoat for [failings in] the legal profession?’
Carried out: June/July 2005
Number of respondents: 240
Report:
February 2005: CJC Experts Forum survey
Accreditation of expert witnesses
The Civil Justice Council (CJC) has the task of overseeing the civil courts in England and Wales. In early March 2005,
the CJC held a forum on the accreditation of expert witnesses. We spoke at the forum and base our comments on the views expressed by
experts in the UK Register of Expert Witnesses as garnered by this survey work.
Carried out: February 2005
Number of respondents: 654
Report:
November 2004: LSC Consultation survey
Quality, price and procedures
On Friday 26 November 2004, the Legal Services Commission launched its long-awaited
consultation on expert witnesses within the context of publicly funded (a.k.a. Legally Aided) cases.
We offered experts a number of ways of understanding the issues and of putting their
views onto the table. We then prepared a consolidated response for the LSC.
Carried out: November 2004
Number of respondents: 238
Report:
June 2003: Expert witness survey
Our fifth survey of the expert witness community
Gathering data on areas such as instruction rates, changes in
types of work and expert fees, this survey provides a snapshot of
the current state of expert witness practice. When taken in conjunction
with the surveys conducted in 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001, this series of
surveys provides the very best source of intelligence on the changing
nature of expert witness work.
Carried out: June 2003
Number of respondents: 565
Report:
September 2001: Expert witness survey
Our fourth survey of the expert witness community
Gathering data on areas such as instruction rates, changes in
types of work and expert fees, this survey provides a snapshot of
the current state of expert witness practice. When taken in conjunction
with the surveys conducted in 1995, 1997 and 1999, this series of
surveys provides the very best source of intelligence on the changing
nature of expert witness work.
Carried out: September 2001
Number of respondents: 486
Report:
May 2001: Regulation of expert witnesses
What do experts think about regulation in general following the
launch of the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practioners?
Carried out between: 3 and 15 May 2001
Number of respondents: 348
Report:
February 2001: SJE work in practice
Seeking the hard facts on how expert witnesses are dealing with
acting as single joint experts
Carried out between: 2 and 14 February 2001
Number of respondents: 250
Report:
June 1999: Expert witness survey
Our third survey on expert fees, practice and procedure
In 1995 we undertook our first survey of the views, experiences
and working practices of expert witnesses. In 1997 we conducted
a more limited investigation into the fees expert witnesses were
then charging. Our follow-up survey, conducted in July 1999, combines
the main features of its predecessors with new topics of enquiry.
Carried out: July 1999
Number of respondents: 671
Report:
May 1997: Expert witness survey
Our second survey on expert fees, practice and procedure
In 1995 we invited experts to complete a questionnaire about their
experiences of working as expert witnesses. In a follow-up exercise
some 2 years later, we asked for details of the rates charged
for writing reports and for giving evidence in court, and also whether
experts expected a fee in the event of the hearing being cancelled
at short notice.
Carried out: May 1997
Number of respondents: 547
Report:
May 1995: Expert witness survey
Our first survey on expert fees, practice and procedure
Our first ever fees survey was designed to give the hard facts
about the charging rates of expert witnesses.
Carried out: May 1995
Number of respondents: 791
Report:
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