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Winter 2015, Regrets

 

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Experts: Political Cover and Consulting Experts

The Rules of Evidence tell us that the testimony of an expert is admissible to provide “scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge [that] will help the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue.” Fed. R. Evid. 702(a). Even before you think about what you want to present as evidence to a fact finder, though, you need to understand your case—what the facts mean, where your client is strongest or most vulnerable, and how much the case is worth. That’s where the non-testifying, consulting expert comes in.