PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Robert Lloyd Goldstein TI - Psychiatrists in the Hot Seat: Discrediting Doctors by Impeachment of Their Credibility DP - 1988 Sep 01 TA - Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online PG - 225--234 VI - 16 IP - 3 4099 - http://jaapl.org/content/16/3/225.short 4100 - http://jaapl.org/content/16/3/225.full SO - J Am Acad Psychiatry Law1988 Sep 01; 16 AB - Attacks on the credibility of the psychiatric expert witness are termed impeachment. This article provides an in-depth review of the various impeachment techniques used by lawyers during cross-examination and offers specific suggestions to the psychiatric expert witness on how to prepare for and counter some of these trial ploys. Bolstering and rehabilitation of the expert's credibility are also discussed. Finally, improper use of impeachment tactics is also considered. Excerpts from trial transcripts and court opinions are supplied to illustrate these points. Although impeachment remains a formidable weapon in the lawyer's armamentarium, it is suggested that the well-prepared and experienced psychiatric expert witness will be more than equal to the task.