Being a credible and professional expert witness requires skills beyond practical experience working with dogs (or whatever species you've been asked to give expert testimony about) and being well versed in the sciences of animal behavior and learning. We've served in the expert role in more than a hundred legal cases, testified in court in five states, and had the benefit of several mentors along the way. But we've also learned a myriad of "dos and don'ts" the hard way - by making mistakes that were not fun to experience. In this course you'll first learn how to decide if being an expert witness is a role you are suited for and what types of cases would be a good match for your skill set at the present time. We'll tell you what to say and what questions to ask during that initial conversation with an attorney, prosecutor or pet owner and what we've included in our consulting contracts. We'll describe the sorts of activities and types of tasks you could be asked to perform, and how to set limits on what you should not or are not able to do. We'll discuss the documents that are part of most cases, as well as ones you should be prepared to ask for. A written report is the work product you'll most often be asked to produce, although a small percentage of cases progress to depositions and/or court testimony. We'll give you an outline for producing a concise, professional report suitable for most cases and share with you what to expect and how we prepare for depositions and testimony, as well as what pitfalls to avoid. Whether you're interested in adding expert witness services, had a bad or less than stellar experience already and want to do better next time, or are just curious what being an expert witness in an animal related case is all about, this course is for you.

Sponsor:Animal Behavior Associates
Speaker(s):Suzanne Hetts, Ph.D., CAAB, CVJ and Daniel Estep, Ph.D., CAAB

Contact: Tracey
 Email: info@animalbehaviorassociates.com
 Phone: 303-932-9095
 Web: http://PetProWebinars.com/