Features of Objective and Independent Nature of Expert Evidence: Prospective Joint Venture for Scientific and Legal Actors in Pakistan

Abstract

The academic approach towards relevancy, reliability, validity and admissibility of scientific expert evidence, is important to the literature on scientific evidence. This article, however, underpins the fact that the reliability test of scientific expert evidence is baseline test and suggests the importance of admissibility test and the assessment of probative value on the objective standards of scientific expert evidence. Nevertheless, the test concerns with features of objective and independent nature of expert evidence. This is real challenge for adversarial systems and depends on how the systems deal with adversarial expert evidence. This article presents an overview of suggested models, established systems in USA, and UK, to secure the objective, impartial, and non-biased expert evidence. In doing so the article highlights the need to introduce code of duties, obligations, and responsibilities of expert witnesses in Pakistan, and the need for capacity building of legal actors in this regard.