title: How lawyers view psychiatric experts.
abstract: Good lawyers look for integrity in their expert consultants and expert witnesses. They need truthful, accurate information to help them assess and frame cases, win or settle them favorably, and/or withdraw when the case has little merit. Experts should be well qualified to review, interpret, and eventually testify credibly about their portions of the case. They should be able to work with lawyers in the lawyers' own arenas (e.g., courts, hearings) and to convey their opinions to others, such as juries, clearly and without unnecessary distractions.
authors.affiliation: American Academy of Psychiatry.
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Skip Simpson
mesh_terms: D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000592:standards*; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D033241:Lawyers / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards