RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 "The whole truth" versus "the admissible truth": an ethics dilemma for expert witnesses
JF Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online
JO J Am Acad Psychiatry Law
FD American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
SP 422
OP 427
VO 31
IS 4
A1 TG Gutheil
A1 M Hauser
A1 MS White
A1 G Spruiell
A1 LH Strasburger
YR 2003
UL http://jaapl.org/content/31/4/422.abstract
AB The expert witness testifies under oath to tell "the whole truth," yet certain aspects of the legal system itself make this ideal difficult or impossible. The authors present both a philosophical and a practical discussion of the challenges for the expert in attaining this goal. After review of oaths in general and truth-telling in particular, real-life examples are provided to examine the vicissitudes of the whole truth in court. Recommendations are provided for experts, to preserve the truth in the adversary system.