For those charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Virginia, an expert witness could be the difference between a jail sentence and a successful case result. With this in mind, the following is information on the types of experts that are available, and the weight they are given at trial. To learn more about the expert witnesses, and the impact they could have on your DUI case, call a Manassas DUI lawyer today.
The role of expert witnesses in the prosecution of a DUI case, particularly when it comes to drugs, is to explain to the court what drugs were found in the blood test and how they acted either individually or in combination to impair the driver to a degree that it was unsafe for them to drive.
The prosecution in most cases will call a forensic scientist who can explain the test that was administered and interpret the result from the test. In rare cases, the prosecution may call a medical doctor to give even more precise testimony about blood results.
Experts are given significant weight by judges in almost every kind of case. Experts are allowed to give opinion testimony, which is unique to them. Other kinds of witnesses are only allowed to testify about facts they have observed. Judges and juries typically give a lot of deference and a lot of weight to the opinion of an expert who is properly qualified and who testifies confidently. They trust the opinion of a person that has been deemed an expert and will thus hold them in high regard.
Although expert witness testimony are treated with deference, it is still possible for a Manassas DUI lawyer
Expert witnesses are like any other kinds of witnesses. Some of them are terrific on the stand, and others are not. It is important to have a Manassas DUI attorney who has experience with expert witnesses; attorneys will know which experts can help you the most, and which ones are going to give you the best opportunity to get the best outcome in your case or, potentially, help you win your case based on what kind of evidence an expert can bring to the table.
Defense experts in most cases are forensic scientists. A forensic scientist can explain the results of a blood test and can refute the government’s theory about what the results of that test mean. A forensic scientist can also explain to the court the functions of the breathalyzer machines, when they are malfunctioning, and can identify any abnormalities that may be occurring with the machine, or which occurred on the machine on the date that the test was taken.
Do not send us confidential information related to you or your company until you speak with one of our attorneys and get authorization to send that information to us.