Rix's Expert Psychiatric Evidence

Resources for the expert psychiatric witness, novice or experienced, who seeks to assist the administration of justice.

Keith Rix (Author), Laurence Mynors-Wallis (Author), Ciaran Craven (Author)

9781911623687, Cambridge University Press

Multiple-component retail product, published 10 December 2020

438 pages
24 x 16 x 2.3 cm, 0.86 kg

'… an extremely comprehensive, engaging and practical guide … Although written for psychiatrists, the many legal principles, procedures and general recommended approaches will no doubt transfer to other disciplines … immensely instructive. It will assist in finding an appropriate expert, asking the right questions and maximising the benefit of instructing an expert. It will also assist when perusing expert reports to identify areas of potential weakness that could be exploited. I was heartened by the suggested approach to the structure of reports to ensure that the reasoning for the expert's conclusions are given due prominence. There is so much more to recommend in this book.' Sue Swan, Associate Solicitor, Cartwright King Solicitors

Rix's Expert Psychiatric Evidence is a resource manual and guide for psychiatrists who provide expert testimony. It covers the entire expert psychiatric witness journey, from training and negotiation of instructions, through medicolegal assessment, report preparation, experts' meetings and joint statements, and conferences with counsel, to giving evidence in court along with advice on keeping up to date. Introductory chapters include essential information on the law of expert evidence and the different procedures in the criminal, civil, family and coroners' courts. It now includes in depth information on all eight jurisdictions of the British Isles. It is richly illustrated with reported and unreported cases including many important ones from the previous ten years, particularly relating to vulnerable witnesses and defendants. The book is supplemented by a library of online letters, forms, a new format report template and other documents which can be downloaded and adapted by readers for their own use.

1. The expert medical witness Keith Rix
2. Courts, laws and procedures Keith Rix
3. Training, development and the maintenance of expertise Keith Rix
4. Business matters Danny Allen and Keith Rix
5. The medicolegal consultation Keith Rix
6. The report, amendments, answers to questions, experts' meetings and conferences Keith Rix
7. Reports for criminal proceedings and in prison cases Keith Rix and Rajan Nathan
8. Personal injury cases Laurence Mynors-Wallis and Keith Rix
9. Reports for family proceedings relating to children Keith Rix, Rajan Nathan and Karl Rowley
10. Reports in cases involving capacity Keith Rix
11. Reports for the First-Tier Tribunal (Health, Education and Social Care Chamber) Mental Health Chris Jones and Srikanth Nimmagadda
12. Reports in immigration and asylum cases Cornelius Katona, Andrew Leak and David Rhys Jones
13. Reports in employment, disability discrimination and pension cases James Briscoe, Gareth Vincenti and Keith Rix
14. Reports for fitness to practise, conduct and performance proceedings Gareth Vincenti
15. Coroners courts and fatal accident inquiries Laurence Mynors-Wallis and Keith Rix
16. How to read an expert medical report Anthony Howard and Keith Rix
17. Going to court Keith Rix
References
Appendix A: specimen criminal report on Daniel MacNaughtan
Appendix B: specimen personal injury report on Charles Dickens
Index
Appendix 1: letter of response to request for a report
Appendix 2: time sheet
Appendix 3: cost estimates
Appendix 4: sample contract for litigants-in-person soliciting reports
Appendix 5: file front sheet
Appendix 6: appointment letter
Appendix 7: information to accompany appointment letter
Appendix 8: consent form for medicolegal report
Appendix 9: General Data Protection Regulation consent form
Appendix 10: privacy notice
Appendix 11: notes of history and examination findings for Appendix B
Appendix 12: declaration for an expert report in the Republic of Ireland
Appendix 13: additional declaration for Experts in England and Wales instructed by the Prosecution only
Appendix 14: expert witness self-certificate for Experts in England and Wales instructed by the Prosecution only
Appendix 15: report covering letter.

Subject Areas: Psychiatry [MMH]