Another expert witness pointer: Expect judges (and lawyers) to talk to their peers who’ve worked with you before

BVWireIssue #96-2
September 15, 2010

“It may come as a shock but judges talk to one another,” Judge Zampino told attendees at the BVR/Morningstar 3rd Annual Summit. So, if you testify that you’ve appeared in other courts, “I’ll call the other judges to find out what you’ve done there,” he confirms. This means that judges are more likely to know when you’re changing your standards of practice.   One example: an expert in New Jersey who would tax-affect or not tax-affect, depending on which spouse he was representing in divorce cases.  ”We keep files on all the leading valuation experts,” said attorney Sobel. “We have your past reports, what you’ve written, and other materials.  Both the lawyers and the judges know if you’re subjectively changing your standards.”
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