Expert Witness Blog

Entertainment expert witnesses may testify on motion picture distribution, media piracy, royalties, and related topics. In Protecting Creativity, Expanding Consumer Choice, the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. writes:

More than 2.4 million American jobs rely upon a healthy film and television industry in the United States. We are committed to safeguarding these jobs by protecting intellectual property and delivering innovative choices to consumers. To be successful, we seek to constructively engage with diverse stakeholders. This includes:

* Partnering with the technology and communications communities to reduce copyright theft and expand the diversity of legitimate choices available to consumers, so they can enjoy the genuine product – authentic copies of movies & TV shows – at a fair price and in flexible and hassle-free ways.

Underground storage tank expert witnesses may opine on underground storage containers, storage facilities containers, and underground storage facilities. In Field Guide to Underground Storage Tanks, The National Association of Realtors writes:

An underground storage tank system is a tank and any underground piping connected to the tank that has at least 10 percent of its combined volume underground. [Federal U.S. underground storage tank] regulations apply to only underground tanks and piping storing either petroleum or certain hazardous substances.” (Basic Information About the Underground Storage Tank Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Nov. 17, 2009).

Why are underground storage tanks regulated by the U.S. government? As with any liquid-containing vessel, USTs have the ability to degrade and wear over time, in turn causing leaks. These leaks can pose substantial public health and safety risks, ranging from contaminating the groundwater that many Americans rely on for drinking water, to potential fire or explosion risk, (Overview of the Federal UST Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Apr. 2, 2010)

Leasing expert witnesses may testify on commercial leasing, lease purchases, rental agreements, and related topics. In the Monthly Lease & Financing Index, the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association shows new business up 24% from 2010.

ELFA reports that economic activity for the equipment finance sector shows overall new business volume for January was $4.2 billion, up 24% compared to same period in 2010. Receivables over 30 days increased slightly to 2.8% in January from 2.7% in December, but declined by 35% compared to same period in 2010. Charge-offs declined significantly, falling to 1.0% from 1.4% in December, and also showed improvement over same period in 2010.

The latest Monthly Leasing and Finance Index, including methodology and participants is available at http://www.elfaonline.org/ind/research/MLFI/

Genetics expert witnesses may write reports and opine on genetic diagnosis, prenatal testing, medical genetics, and related topics.

Genetics is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms which deals with the molecular structure and function of genes. In simpler words the genetics is the study of traits one inherit from there parents in form of genes. Genes plays an important role in determining some ones appearance and behavior of organisms, it is the combination of genetics with what an organism experiences that determines the ultimate outcome. Also the parents can also transfer diseases and disorder to their children. Also sometimes the abnormalities in genes can cause genetic disorder.

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com.

Medical insurance expert witness Mr. L. Lamar Blount, CPA, FHFMA, CFF, offers links to Medicare & Medicaid resources from his website Health Law Network. They include:

Health Insurance Reform
* COBRA Continuation of Coverage * Health Insurance Reform for Consumers * Health Insurance Reform for Employers * Self-Funded Nonfederal Governmental Plans

Entertainment expert witnesses may testify on motion picture distribution, media piracy, royalties, and related topics. In Protecting Creativity, Expanding Consumer Choice, the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. writes:

From the visual arts to the software industry, more and more people around the globe make their living based on the power of their creative ideas and those of others. This means we all have a global stake in protecting intellectual property rights and recognizing that these safeguards are a cornerstone of a healthy global information economy. That’s no different from the importance of protecting any other property rights such as those in manufactured products, homes and public buildings and the people and industries that contribute to those parts of our economic strength and well-being.

Read more: mpaa.com.

Storage expert witnesses may opine on public storage facilities, mini-storage facilities, and self storage. Here, in the History of Self Storage, Paul Darden writes:

The switch to “self-storage” as we know it today, was started in the mid 1960s by the early pioneers such as Russ Williams, Bob Munn, Charles, Ronald, and Richard Bowyer, Louis Rochester and his many partners, Tom Brundage, Guy Robertson, and Sam Judge. To put their accomplishments into perspective, each of them was building prior to 1970. It was not until 1972 that Public Storage built their first facility in El Cajon, California.

Williams and his stepson Munn built the first self-storage facility in Texas called “A-1 U-Store-It U-Lock-It U-Carry the Key” in Odessa. Russ Williams worked his entire life in the oil industry, and in the 1960s he owned an oil industry service company. Russ and Bob were both avid fishermen, and they needed a place to store both their boats and their oil field equipment. Other firms in the oil industry also needed to have quick access storage for their equipment in the event of an emergency. According to Munn, Williams had seen some apartments somewhere with four to 10 garages side by side with common walls between them. (There was such a project in Irving, Texas built by Paul Nelson in 1962). Others have reported that Williams heard about the concept while ill in a hospital. Williams discussed the idea of building a storage facility with Louis Rochester in 1964. Rochester chose not to become a partner in the original building, but sold the land to Williams for that first facility.

Broadband providers and content owners opposed each other in the High Court, London, in a judicial review of the government’s attempts to control piracy online. BT and TalkTalk are challenging the legitimacy of parts of the Digital Economy Act.

Professor Stan Liebowitz from the University of Texas, who has published research about file-sharing, testified as a media expert witness. He provided evidence of piracy’s damage to the entertainment industry and opined on the internet service providers arguments regarding the potential harm of the new law.

Read more: ft.com.

Leasing expert witnesses may testify on commercial leasing, lease purchases, rental agreements, and related topics. In Equipping Business Success In An Improving Company William G. Sutton, CAE, President, Equipment Leasing and Finance Association writes:

Businesses are ramping up to meet increasing demand and market opportunities in response to continued signs of economic improvement. Acquiring equipment to operate and grow is critical, and for smart businesses, equipment financing is a key acquisition strategy. Equipment financing is tailored to individual business considerations, including that of maintaining cash reserves.

Read more: mtbmag.com.

Medical insurance expert witness Mr. L. Lamar Blount, – CPA, FHFMA, CFF, is the author of the AMA’s best selling book on physician reimbursement, Mastering the Reimbursement Process (Billing and Compliance).

The book guides users through the reimbursement process from start to finish and includes information on types of insurance and payers, coding systems, insurance processing and review and appeals. Also included are chapters on electronic claims processing, compliance plans for physicians, and privacy and confidentiality issues, including HIPAA as well as an appendix on OIG Compliance and Internet Resources.

Read more: healthlawnetwork.com.