219. Expert Witness Testimony Instruction No 1 Request by Plaintiff Request by Defendant Requested by Given as Proposed Given as Modified Given on Court?s Motion Refused Withdrawn Judge Instruction No 1 During the trial you heard testimony from expert witnesses. The law allows an expert to state opinions about matters in his or her field of expertise even if he or she has not witnessed any of the events involved in the trial. You do not have to accept an expert's opinion. As with any other witness, it is up to you to decide whether you believe the expert's testimony and choose to use it as a basis for your decision. You may believe all, part, or none of an expert's testimony. In deciding whether to believe an expert's testimony, you should consider: a. The expert's training and experience; b. The facts the expert relied on; and c. The reasons for the expert's opinion. New September 2003