The Expert Witness in Construction Disputes

230 Pages·2002·2.22 MB·English

by  Michael P. Reynolds(auth.)

The Expert Witness
in Construction Disputes
The Expert Witness
in Construction Disputes
Michael P. Reynolds
MSc(Lond), LLM(Lond), FCIArb
Solicitor and Chartered Arbitrator
b
Blackwell
Science
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Contents
Preface toThird Edition xi
New Terminology xii
Glossary xiv
Chapter1: The Expert Witness: Role and Duties 1
1.1 Definition 1
1.2 Why experts are needed 1
1.3 Overriding duty 2
1.4 Ethics and professional integrity 5
1.5 Becoming anexpertwitness 7
1.6 Appointment of the expert 10
1.7 The expert’s duties to the client 12
1.8 The expert’s role outsidethe court/arbitrationsystem 21
1.9 Qualities of anexpert witness 22
Chapter2: Contracts, Claimsand Damages 24
2.1 General 24
2.2 Contract claims 24
2.3 Damages 30
2.4 Breach of statutory duty 33
2.5 Law of negligence 35
Chapter3: Professional Liability and theExpertWitness 41
3.1 The expert’s role 41
3.2 Contractualliability 41
3.3 Non-contractual liability 43
3.4 Advising onbreach of duty by professionals 43
3.5 The expert’s own professional liability 49
Chapter4: How the CourtsEvaluate ExpertEvidence 54
4.1 The overriding objective 54
4.2 Illustrative cases 57
4.3 The importance of demeanourin court 65
4.4 Whether thecourthas to accept the expert’s opinion 67
4.5 Summary 71
Chapter5: Formulation ofthe issues 72
5.1 The initialstages 72
5.2 Statement ofcase 75
viii Contents
5.3 Site investigations 76
5.4 Summary 78
Chapter 6:Procedures for Resolution of Disputes 79
6.1 Changes to the English adversarial system 79
6.2 Statutory adjudication underthe 1996 Act 85
6.3 Arbitration 89
6.4 Litigation 96
6.5 Alternative dispute resolution 101
6.6 Conclusion 105
Chapter 7:Experts’ Discussionsand the Single Joint Expert 106
7.1 Experts’ discussions 106
7.2 The singlejoint expert 111
7.3 A case report on experts’ meetings 112
Chapter 8:Evidenceand theExpert 115
8.1 Factsin issue 115
8.2 Typesof evidence 117
8.3 The expert’s evidence 119
8.4 Hearsayevidence 122
8.5 Admissibility 123
8.6 Proof 125
8.7 A checkliston pointsofevidence 127
Chapter 9:Disclosure 128
9.1 What is‘disclosure’? 128
9.2 Assisting with disclosure 130
9.3 Privilege 131
9.4 Costsconsiderations 136
9.5 Practicalities 137
9.6 Conclusion 140
Chapter 10:Preparation of Scott Schedules 142
10.1 Objective 142
10.2 What type of schedule? 143
10.3 The expert’s role 146
10.4 Information technology (IT) 147
10.5 Checklist for preparing aScott Schedule 148
Chapter 11:The Final Reportand Trial 149
11.1 Statusof the finalreport 149
11.2 Contents of thefinal report 151
11.3 Reportfor theclaimant 153
11.4 Reportfor thedefendant 156
11.5 Conflicting duties 157
11.6 Presentationof thefinal report 158
Contents ix
11.7 Trial preparation 158
11.8 Procedure at trial 159
11.9 Checklist for the trial 163
Chapter12: ‘Che sera sera’ 165
12.1 The expertand civil justice reformation 165
12.2 Truth andjustice 168
Appendix I:Expert Witness Institute ModelTerms 171
Appendix II:Practice Direction 49C – Technology and
Construction Court 175
Appendix III: The TeCSA Expert Witness Protocol 179
Appendix IV: Pre-action Protocol for Constructionand
Engineering Disputes 185
Appendix V:CivilProcedure Rules Part 35– Experts and Assessors 190
Appendix VI: DraftCode ofGuidance for Experts Under the
CivilProcedure Rules 1999 194
Appendix VII: The Cala Homescase and thepartisan expert 199
Appendix VIII: The ExpertWitness Institute Model Terms and
Conditions 202
Bibliography 205
Table of Cases 206
Table of Statutes 211
Table of Statutory Instruments 212
Rules oftheSupreme Court 212
Table of Civil ProcedureRules 212
Index 214
Preface to Third Edition
Ofallaspectsofciviljusticeoutsidetheworkofthelegalprofession,noneis
perhaps more important, difficult or demanding than that of the expert
witness.Veryoftenheorsheisexpectedtobeknowledgeablenotonlyofthe
science he represents but also of legal procedures with which he may be
concerned. Although the task is an onerous one, it is not one that can be
carriedoutinisolationtopractisingone’sprofession.Theexpertmustbean
experienced practisingprofessionalas well as an expert.
Certainqualitiesarethereforerequired,aswellasparticularprofessional
qualifications and experience, so that only a very small percentage of
practising professionals may be eligible for the task. To deal with this
dauntingtaskthisbookcoversthebasicdutiesandtasksoftheexpertinthe
context of the Civil Procedure Rules 1998 applicable to construction cases,
drawing on material I produced for the first two editions of The Expert
Witness and his Evidence.
Theexpertwitnessinthenewmilleniumisexpectedtobeadifferenttype
of expert to his or her predecessors. He or she now owes an overriding
statutory duty to the court, with the nature of the principal duties having
beenmoreclearlysetoutintheCPRandbyMrJusticeCresswellinNational
Justice Compania Naviera SA v. Prudential Assurance Co Limited (The ‘Ikarian
Reefer’).Notonlythatbutthesupportmustbeconversantwiththeemerging
ADR process and adjudication.
This edition therefore focuses on the important practical aspects of the
expert’s modern role such as his duties to the court and his client; and the
distinction between the expert as an adviser and as an expert witness and
considersthelegalsignificanceofthatintermsoftheCivilProcedureRules
and the law of privilege. Consideration is also given to the presentation of
writtenandoralevidencebeforethecourt,theroleofthesinglejointexpert,
thecontentsofanexpert’sreportandhisroleinfacilitatingresolutionofthe
technical issues in meetingsanddiscussions.
Aswith theproduction ofprevious editions ofthis book Iamgratefulto
JuliaBurdenofBlackwellsforherencouragementandprofessionalismand
to Tamsin Bacchus for her unstinting efforts in producing a more readable
and logical text and format.
Michael P. Reynolds
New Terminology
Schedule of New Terminology under the Civil Procedure Rules
Old term New term
action claim
Anton Piller order search order
assessment (ofcosts) summary assessment
Calderbank letter (or offer) Part36 offer
close of pleadings (no equivalent)
costsin the cause costs inthe case
counterclaim a counterclaim isa Part 20 claim but
theterm ‘counterclaim’ isalsostill
inuse
discovery disclosure
ex parte without notice (tootherparties)
guardian adlitem litigation friend
in camera in private
in open court in public
interparteshearing hearing with notice (or hearing on
notice) (to other parties)
interlocutory interim
interlocutory judgment for judgment for anamountto be
damages to beassessed decided by the court
interrogatory request for further information
leave permission
Mareva injunction(or order) freezing injunction
motion(inChancery) judge’sapplication
motions day (inChancery) applications day
next friend litigation friend
originating application Part8 claim form (butoriginating
applicationsare still used in
insolvencyproceedings)
originating summons Part8 claim form
plaintiff claimant
pleading statement of case
rebutter (no equivalent)
rejoinder (no equivalent)
request for furtherand better request for further information
particulars
New Terminology xiii
Old term New term
scheduleof special damages scheduleof past and future loss and
expense
setting down(for trial) listing (for trial)
small claims arbitration smallclaims track
specific discovery specific disclosure
statementof claim particulars of claim
subpoena witnesssummons
substituted service alternativeservice
summonsfor directions case managementconference
summons(for interim application) application notice
summons(to commence claimform
proceedingsina county court)
SupremeCourtTaxingOffice Supreme Court Costs Office
surrebutter (no equivalent)
surrejoinder (no equivalent)
taxation (ofcosts) detailed assessment
taxing master costsjudge
third party Part 20 defendant
third-party proceedings Part 20 claim
writ (to commence proceedings claimform (writs are still used in
in High Court) execution of judgments)