Report writing and Expert witness lectures Flashcards
All of the following are principles of good writing except:
a. Logicality.
b. Simplicity.
c. Clarity.
d. humanity
e. Brevity.
a. Logicality.
All of the following are common errors in sanity reports except:
a. Mentioning future dangerousness.
b. Excessive reasoning in opinion section
c. Failure to address each arm of the insanity test
d. Equating psychosis with insanity.
b. Excessive reasoning in opinion section
- Should statements about medical records be written in the past or present tense?
present tense
- Which tense should the opinion section be written in?
present tense
- Which tense should the mental status observations be written in?
past tense
- Which tense should reports of an interview be written in?
past tense
Choose all that apply: Psychiatrists disagree in court because:
a. The adversary system polarizes expressions of psychiatric opinion.
b. Opposing attorneys provide different data to each psychiatrist.
c. attorneys select psychiatrists likely to support their position.
d. Psychiatrists may be biased.
All are correct
Choose all that apply: In discovery depositions, the goals of the opposing attorneys include:
a. Intimidating the witness.
b. Assessing the witness.
c. Getting the witness to change his or her opinion.
d. gathering ammunition for trial.
B and C are correct
Choose all that apply: Expert psychiatric opinions may be expressed if they are stated as:
a. Strong possibilities.
b. 100% certain.
c. 40% certain.
d. A reasonable medical certainty.
Only D is correct
Choose all that apply: Psychiatrists testifying in court should:
a. Refer to their curriculum vitae as their resume.
b. Use occasional jargon.
c. Leave the courtroom immediately after their testimony.
d. Try to minimize their participation in pretrial conferences.
A and C
Choose all that apply: The psychiatric expert witness must understand:
a. The rules of evidence
b. The legal issue
c. The grounds for objections
d. The legal standard.
B and D
Choose all that apply: Expert witnesses:
a. May give opinions in court.
b. Generally have more credibility than fact witnesses.
c. Have facts beyond the scope of the average juror.
d. are truly impartial.
A and C
Choose all that apply: Basic components of credibility include:
a. Expertise.
b. Trustworthiness.
c. Dynamism
d. Logic.
A, B, and C
- Choose all that apply: The psychiatric expert witness should:
a. Attack the cross-examiner if personally attacked
b. Direct his or her remarks to the questioner.
c. Use humor if the trial is boring.
d. Not appear to be an adversary.
D
