Articles Posted in Researching Experts

Aviation maintenance expert witnesses may write reports and opine on aerospace engineering, flight safety, ground and aircraft operations, and more. After British investigators traced a fire to a transmitter in a Boeing 787 aircraft, the FAA is asking airlines to inspect emergency transmitters in all Boeing 787s.

FAA Statement

After reviewing the initial findings of the AAIB’s report and recommendations, the Federal Aviation Administration is working with Boeing to develop instructions to operators for inspection of the Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs) on Boeing 787 aircraft.

Patents expert witnesses may consult on issues involving patent protection, patent prosecution, and patent infringement. In Everything you need to know about how Congress is debating patent reform, pandodaily.com writes:

Introduced by Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) and Peter DeFazio (D-OR) in February, the “Saving High-Tech Innovators from Egregious Legal Disputes” bill would create a “loser pays” system for lawsuits in which patent assertion entities that aren’t actively using their patents would be forced to pay a defendant’s legal bills if they lose their lawsuits. Losing defendants, however, wouldn’t have to pay. The bill also seeks to define what a “patent troll” is. According to the SHIELD Act, the patent holder would fit that description unless it is an inventor or original asignee, is actively using the patent, or is a university of “technology transfer organization.”

The Application Developers Alliance is an industry association dedicated to meeting the unique needs of developers as creators, innovators, and entrepreneurs.

Pornography expert witnesses may provide reports concerning child pornography, cyberpornography, internet pornography, and related matters. In Defending Against Online Child Pornography Chargesattorney Robin Shellow, President of The Shellow Group, writes:

The proliferation of adult websites has made anyone who has ever visited one susceptible to a charge of possession of child pornography. The content of adult web sites changes on an hourly basis. The website that had no pictures of children last month could have tens of thousands this month.

Read more: http://www.theshellowgroup.com/PracticeAreas/Possession-of-Internet-Child-Pornography.html

In Composing the Expert’s Report: Factors for Compliance with Federal Rule 26(a)(2)(B), forensic handwriting expert witness Jacqueline A. Joseph, B.A., CDE, D-BFDE, writes:

Introduction Rule 26 provides guidelines to the discovery process and flow of information between the expert and the client-attorney. In civil lawsuits, the United States district courts’ procedures are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP). Any court may have its own additional requirements regarding report writing and these requirements would be available from the court clerk or your client.

While the rules vary from state to state, at least 35 states have adopted procedural codes based on the Federal Rules, sometimes with slight and time-critical variations. The FRCP applies only to matters being tried in Federal Court.

Technology expert witnesses may provide reports and testify concerning computers, virtual technology, and communication technology. In Google, others call on NSA for more transparency AllThingsD.com writes:

Sixty-three tech companies, including Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Twitter, have come together to call on the US government to bring more transparency to surveillance. An official letter detailing the coalition’s requests will be released tomorrow.

AllThingsD.com is a website devoted to news, analysis and opinion on technology, the Internet and media.

Computer security expert witnesses may consult regarding network security, computer crime, data security, and computer forensics. In the news, guardianlv.com describes how computer hackers search out and sell flaws in software coding to government agencies and private companies around the world. nytimes.com this week reported on Italian hackers who sell technical vulnerabilities to countries seeking to break into the computer systems of foreign adversaries.

Motorcycles expert witnesses may may give opinions regarding issues involving motorcycle dirt bikes, street bikes, and motorcycle accident reconstruction. Newyorkdailynews.com reports that motorcycle racer Bill Warner died Sunday while attempting to top 300 mph on a mile course at the “Maine Event.” Warner lost control on the former Loring Strategic Air Command base runway. He holds the record as the first conventional motorcyclist to top 300 mph in 2011.

Insects and pests expert witnesses may write reports and testify on pest control, ticks, and termites, as well as other types of parasites and pests. In the news, boston.com writes that Lyme disease is now the second most commonly reported infectious disease in New England. Lyme is a tick born disease with symptoms including fever, headache, fatigue, depression, and a distinctive circular skin rash.

Railroad expert witnesses may give opinions regarding railroad accident reconstruction, railroad accident investigation, train wrecks, and railroad safety. News.nationalgeographic.com reported that the oil train tragedy in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, involved crude oil tankers that decoupled, slid downhill and exploded. The train was parked and unmanned when 72 tankers caused the fire and explosion near the Maine border. The oil was being conveyed from North Dakota’s Bakken oil fields to a New Brunswick refinery.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators report that the pilots flying the Asiana flight 214 Boeing 777 did not have access to a system designed to assist in safely landing the jet airliner. The glide-slope provides guidance to keep the plane at the correct elevation and angle before landing but was out of service due to runway construction. NTSB Senior Aviation Accident Investigator Bill English is serving as investigator-in-charge. NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman is accompanying the team and will serve as the principal spokesman. Ms. Hersman said the flight data recorder indicates the aircraft’s speed at impact was 106 knots which is well below the aircraft’s target landing speed of 137 knots.

Former TWA pilot Barry Schiff stated that pilots “should always make an approach with power, and they didn’t do that.” The aviation safety expert witness has more than 27,000 hours logged in more than 300 types of aircraft and is the author of over 1,500 articles published in 90 aviation magazines. He is a contributing editor at AOPA Pilot.

Read more: http://www.ntsb.gov/