New Jersey Divorce : Disappearing Expert

Many New Jersey divorce cases involve expert witnesses. These can be accountants, appraisers, doctors, mental health professionals or others. What happens if the particular expert selected for the litigation is not available when it comes time for trial and the client then claims damages as a result of the expert's absence? A malpractice case from Morris County was just dismissed and held neither the expert nor the client's lawyers responsible. Judge W. Hunt Dumont dismissed the malpractice case, because the scheduling mix-up wasn't the expert's fault. Further, the lawyers hadn't violated any professional standards and the client failed to prove that the expert's nonappearance cost him money.

Kranz v. Tiger, MRS-L-3661-00, New Jersey Law Division, Morris County, December 23, 2004.