What is the first question asked to qualify a witness as an expert?

What is the first question asked to qualify a witness as an expert?

• A. Do you have any job? Where?
• B. What, if any, degrees do you possess?
• C. Please state your name for the jury.
• D. How long have you been at that job?

Answer: (C)

The first step in qualifying an expert is identifying who is testifying. Asking the witness to state their name for the jury fixes exactly who is on the stand and places that person on the record. Once the identity is established, the attorney then moves on to prove the witness’s qualifications—education, training, experience, and related credibility—to show why their testimony should be trusted as expert evidence. The other questions relate to credentials and background, which come after the witness has been identified.

The first step in qualifying an expert is identifying who is testifying. Asking the witness to state their name for the jury fixes exactly who is on the stand and places that person on the record. Once the identity is established, the attorney then moves on to prove the witness’s qualifications—education, training, experience, and related credibility—to show why their testimony should be trusted as expert evidence. The other questions relate to credentials and background, which come after the witness has been identified.