If you are an expert witness, you should have a quality-control checklist that is used every time you produce a report. Your checklist should be customized to fit your practice needs. A quality-control checklist is an easy tool that will help ensure every report is of the highest-quality. Below is a basic checklist to help get you started.
QUALITY CONTROL CHECKLIST
Cover page is correct
Table of contents is correct
Topic headings
Page numbers are correct
Headers and footers are correct
List of documents reviewed included
Unavailable records flagged
Dates are correct
No Spelling/Grammar errors
No run-on sentences
All opinions and question answers are consistent
All questions have full and complete answers
Technical terms, jargon, and acronyms are defined
Words to Avoid
‘Appears,’ ‘presumably,’ ‘supposably,’ ‘is said,’ or ‘evidently’
‘Probable’ or ‘possible’
‘It seems,’ ‘could,’ ‘apparently,’ or ‘I believe’
‘Authoritative’
‘Legal’ or ‘legally’
‘Substantially’