Christine Funk

In litigation, whether criminal or civil, there are times when a client’s access to funds is limited. When determining where to cut corners, often times, a decision is made to use the same expert for separate but important roles: that…

Recently, a San Francisco jury found in favor of Dewayne Johnson, against Roundup maker, Monsanto. After a month-long trial, the jury awarded the 46-year-old former groundskeeper $289 million in damages as compensation for his terminal cancer diagnosis. This award included…

Expert witnesses are so frequently relied on in civil, and even criminal, litigation. But how does an attorney navigate the complicated waters of working with an expert witness, balancing when and whether to share information from the client? Can a…

In some jurisdictions, the attorneys do not have a choice about whether or not to allow jurors to ask questions of expert witnesses.  In other jurisdictions, it is permissible but judges are not required to allow it.  States that allow…

Different lawyers have different views on the pros and cons of video depositions. However, there are a number of benefits lawyers should consider when evaluating whether to use video during a deposition. Below are ten reasons why videotaping a deposition…

A properly retained expert witness is hired to employ their training, education, and experience to review data and draw conclusions about the evidence at hand. But hiring an expert is not tantamount to purchasing their opinion. An expert should not…

Cross examination of an expert can feel like a daunting task. Not only are you asking direct, pointed questions, sometimes specifically designed to discredit or call into question a witness’ opinion, you are doing so to someone who’s expertise in…

“Proximate cause,” on its face, seems like a pretty straight forward concept. In medical malpractice lawsuits, the question of proximate cause, and whether the plaintiff can provide the jury with the necessary facts to support proximate cause, is critical. In…

If you’ve never hired an expert before, or if you don’t work with experts regularly, there are some things about working with experts that may not have occurred to you yet. Often times, lawyers find themselves so overwhelmed by the…

As both medical and recreational marijuana become legal in an increasing number of jurisdictions, the issue of driving while impaired by the use of marijuana becomes more prevalent.  Marijuana laws vary by state for both the legality of use of…