Expert Opinion and Reform in Anglo-American, Continental, and Israeli Adjudication

The factual framework of modem litigation has become increasingly technical and complex; this development poses new challenges for traditional fact-finders. More and more, expert witnesses are being used to assist judges and juries in the factfinding process. This Article examines the role of the expert witness in the common-law and civil-law judicial systems, emphasizing the manner in which the divergent systems have responded to the need for reform in this area. The author then examines the role of the expert in the hybrid Israeli judicial system, which is rooted in both the civil-law and common-law traditions. Finally, the author demonstrates the relationship between prevailing attitudes toward the nature of adjudication and the response to pressure for the reform of the adjudicative process