The expert witness in criminal procedure law

The criminal procedure aims to ascertain the material truth. To achieve this goal, the judicial body must find answers to questions such as whether the alleged act indeed occurred, and if so, who committed it and how it was committed. In recent years, rapid advancements in science and technology have significantly impacted all areas, especially social, economic, and commercial life, making it difficult to possess comprehensive knowledge in each field. Given these developments and the broad scope of criminal procedure, it is unrealistic to expect judges to be experts in all mentioned areas. In cases where general and legal knowledge required by the judicial profession is insufficient and special and technical knowledge is needed to evaluate the evidence, the judge may require expert knowledge. This study examines the role and structure of the expert witness institution in criminal procedure law, addressing its historical development, the rules to be followed in preparing expert reports, and the rights and obligations of expert witnesses.