Supreme Court may clarify rules on the use of expert testimony; high court's decision could...

The testimony of expert witnesses is a critical factor in resolving liability cases in which the issue is negligence. The outcome of a case often turns on the judge's decision of whether to allow expert testimony and--if it is allowed--how this testimony is received by the jury.

This is particularly important in design and construction cases, in which the issue is generally whether the design professional was negligent in meeting the "standard of care." In recent years there has been an outcry against the use of expert witnesses because "anything goes" in allowing such