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Expert evidence and forensic science in the courtroom
This free course gives an overview of the law of expert evidence, including practice and procedure, the duties and liabilities of experts, the question of how non-experts can adjudicate between the views of experts, and the increasing mathematisation of scientific evidence. The various issues are finally brought together in a case study of one of the most notorious miscarriages of justice in recent years.
This OpenLearn course is an adapted extract from the Open University course W250 Evidence law and related to the Open University qualification Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (LLB).
Course learning outcomes
After studying this course, you should be able to:
- explain the rules for admissibility and presentation of expert evidence
- describe the duties and responsibilities of forensic experts
- discuss the challenges posed by expert evidence and how these might be overcome
- discuss the issues raised by expert evidence in the context of a miscarriage of justice.
First Published: 18/11/2025
Updated: 18/11/2025
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