- I WAS A VICTIM OF CRIME: CONSEQUENCES AND REACTIONS
- THE RIGHTS OF VICTMS OF CRIME
- RIGHT TO INFORMATION
- RIGHT TO RECEIVE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE COMPLAINT
- RIGHT TO TRANSLATION
- RIGHT TO VICTIM SUPPORT SERVICES
- RIGHT TO BE HEARD
- RIGHTS IN THE EVENT OF A DECISION NOT TO CHARGE THE DEFENDANT
- RIGHT TO MEDIATION
- RIGHT TO LEGAL INFORMATION AND PROTECTION
- RIGHT TO COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION AND TO REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES
- RIGHT TO THE RETURN OF PROPERTY
- RIGHT TO COMPENSATION
- RIGHT TO PROTECTION
- RIGHTS OF VICTIMS WITH SPECIFIC PROTECTION NEEDS
- RIGHTS OF VICTIMS RESIDENT IN ANOTHER EU MEMBER STATE
- CRIMINAL COURT PROCEEDINGS
- WHO’S WHO IN CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS
EXPERT WITNESS
An expert witness is someone who is asked to assist in the proceedings when specialised technical, scientific or artistic knowledge is necessary to understand the facts or weigh up the evidence.
For example, it may be necessary to have a doctor explain the injuries suffered by the victim and how they were inflicted, or for a psychologist or psychiatrist to describe the psychological characteristics of the defendant in order to conduct a personality evaluation, or for a computer engineer to show how a software programme was used in committing the crime. In these cases, the doctor, psychologist or computer engineer use their technical and scientific knowledge to provide a better understanding of what happened.
The assistance of expert witnesses is requested by the judge or the Public Prosecution Service, either on their own initiative or because one of the participants in the proceedings has requested it, and they receive a fee.
Expert witnesses first conduct any necessary tests and then write a report with their conclusions about what they examined and assessed. If an expert witness is called to appear at the trial, they will testify and answer questions on the tests done and the conclusions drawn from them.