Next Online Courtroom Testimony for Expert Witnesses Course Announced: June 1-3, 2026
The online Courtroom Testimony for Expert Witnesses course has continually been a great success! We have had participants from across Canada and the US, the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, Australia, Germany, and New Zealand. The ability to learn from the instructor and from each other in this dynamic and informative course is unparalleled. The online...
Lay Witness or Expert Witness? Who Decides and Why Does it Matter?
Once the forensic video analysis work has been completed and the report has been written, the analyst may be called to court to testify to the work undertaken. The question then arises as to whether this evidence should be led as expert evidence or lay testimony. Who decides this question and why does...
Next Online Courtroom Testimony for Expert Witnesses Course Announced: TBD
The online Courtroom Testimony for Expert Witnesses course has continually been a great success! We have had participants from across Canada and the US, the UK, Norway, Australia, and New Zealand. The ability to learn from the instructor and from each other in this dynamic and informative course is unparalleled. The online format has proven...
Height Determination Through Photogrammetry: Expert Evidence Rejected by Court
When only one expert witness is presented at trial, the Court may find it difficult to critically evaluate the expert evidence. If the evidence is not controversial and both sides agree with the findings, this will be a non-issue. However, when the evidence is contentious, a one-sided presentation is more problematic. While skillful...
“Image-Based Evidence in International Criminal Prosecutions: Charting a Path Forward” is available for purchase!
After many years of leading and relying upon image-based evidence in the courtroom, teaching international imagery law in several countries, and recently being awarded a PhD from Leiden University in the Netherlands on the use of non-textual evidence in international criminal prosecutions, I am pleased to announce that my book Image-Based Evidence in...
Troubling Trend in Expert Image Comparison Evidence in Canada?
A recent Canadian case has highlighted an apparent issue that is affecting how some courts are assessing the probative value and admissibility of expert image comparison evidence. This article reviews this recent case in the context of previous rulings and recommends how image comparison evidence should be presented to the court by experts...
State Supreme Court Rules on Admissibility of Expert Motion Tracking Evidence
In dynamic video-recorded scenes where several people move around within the frame and from camera to camera it can be difficult to accurately track the movement of individuals. This makes it challenging for the trier of fact to understand what is happening generally and to differentiate the actions attributed to each individual. Motion...
The Pedagogical Expert Witness: Teaching Complex Science in the Courtroom
The following article, applicable to experts in all areas of expertise, was written by me in conjunction with my Courtroom Testimony for Expert Witnesses course and will soon be published in the Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal. It will be available on an Open Access basis and once published, it will be...
Image Comparison Evidence in the UK: Have Things Changed?
I research, write, and lecture about international imagery law. In preparation for upcoming courses in the UK this summer, I was reviewing recent case law and came across a March 2022 case from the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) that piqued my interest. It is consistent with previous case law but appears to...
Recent American Cases on Image Interpretation
Several times a year I conduct a comprehensive search of recent reported case law on topics related to video evidence, forensic video analysis, and pertinent expert witness testimony issues. This provides me with new case law that illustrates how courts are assessing and deciding relevant litigated issues on these topics. This article focuses...