Expert Psychiatric Evidence

About the author: Dr Keith Rix is Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist at The Grange Consulting Rooms, Cleckheaton and at Cygnet Hospital Wyke, Bradford. His forensic experience began in the 1960s when he lived in hostels with ex-offenders and assessed prisoners for after-care hostels. He has a Master of Laws (Distinction) in Medical Law and Ethics and is a part-time lecturer in the Department of Law at De Montfort University, Leicester. He has thirty years experience as an expert witness. Quote from the author: "I have enjoyed thirty years' work as a psychiatric expert witness and I have equally enjoyed teaching and training others. I am pleased to have been given the opportunity to use this experience to write a book on the subject before I retire." - Keith Rix

Foreword The Rt Hon. The Baroness Hale of Richmond, Justice of the Supreme Court; Preface and acknowledgments; 1. Nature and duties of an expert witness; 2. Training, contractual, administrative and other practical matters; 3. The medico-legal consultation; 4. The structure, organisation and content of the generic report; 5. Reports for criminal proceedings; 6. Reports in personal injury cases; 7. Reports for family proceedings relating to children Reports in cases involving capacity; 8. Reports for tribunals, inquests and other bodies; 9. Reports for the Channel Islands, the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man, Northern Ireland and Scotland; 10. Going to court; 11. Maintaining and developing expertise and knowing when to stop; Appendix 1. Letter of response to request for a report; Appendix 2. File front sheet; Appendix 3. Time sheet; Appendix 4. Appointment letter; Appendix 5. Information to accompany appointment letter; Appendix 6. Letter requesting authorisation to use a laptop computer within a prison; Appendix 7. Consent form; Appendix 8. Covering letter for a court report; Appendix 9. CPS declaration and self-certificate; Appendix 10. A note on judicial titles and their abbreviations in England and Wales; Appendix 11. Specimen criminal report.