Legal Definitions - skilled witness

A skilled witness is a type of witness who is qualified by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education to provide a scientific, technical, or other specialized opinion about the evidence or a fact issue. They are also known as expert witnesses.

For example, in a medical malpractice case, a skilled witness could be a doctor who testifies about the standard of care that should have been provided to the patient and whether the defendant doctor deviated from that standard.

Skilled witnesses are important in legal cases because they can provide specialized knowledge and help the judge or jury understand complex issues. Their testimony can be crucial in determining the outcome of a case.