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Law 101: Legal Guide for the Forensic Expert

Handling Schedule Conflicts

The expert should communicate with the proffering attorney or a witness coordinator well before the scheduled proceeding date to avoid unnecessary appearances before the expert is actually needed.

Once the expert receives the subpoena, the expert should notify the witness coordinator or attorney immediately if there are any scheduling conflicts that may prevent the expert from honoring the appearance. Depending on the flexibility of the proceedings, the attorney may put the expert on the stand, out of order, or even attempt to move the proceeding to a new date to ensure that all necessary witnesses are available.

Due to the unpredictability of court proceedings, it may be impossible to pinpoint an exact appearance time. If the expert is traveling from outside the jurisdiction for the court appearance, delays between the expert's required arrival and the actual testimony time may be unavoidable.

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