Honours dissertation LL.B. (Hons.) University of Waikato.

This honours dissertation examines the role of expert witnesses in the New Zealand criminal justice system. In particular, the focus is expert evidence in child sexual abuse and battered woman syndrome cases. This is an area of great controversy, both from the perspective of society and the courts. The primary aim of this thesis is to shed light on the issues surrounding expert witnesses and to provide some thoughts for future reform in this area of the law. The dissertation follows a general to specific structure. After an introductory chapter on what expert evidence is and why expert witnesses should be studied, chapter 2 discusses the role and deficiencies of expert witnesses in general. Chapter 3 then examines the assistance that expert witnesses provide the fact finder in the specific scenario of child sexual abuse cases. Expert witnesses in battered woman syndrome cases are also assessed in chapter 4. Recommendations for reform options for expert witnesses are discussed in chapter 5. The dissertation concludes that while experts do play an important role in assisting the fact finder, the current legal rules and legal system within which such witnesses operate, does not serve to best utilise their expertise.--AUTHOR'S ABSTRACT

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