Subpoenas/Witnesses

“May your life be filled with lawyers” is an old Mexican curse but is a modern American affliction, especially for scientists. This section discusses situations where scientists face possible entanglement in litigation as potential expert witnesses.

Based upon our casework, we have seen –

• Federal scientists seeking to testify in environmental litigation against their own agencies in order to expose suppression or manipulation of technical work;

• University researchers targeted by industry-funded law firms seeking to drag them into lawsuits, often because their work has been cited by the other side;and

• Scientists serving as expert witnesses in environmental lawsuits subjected to overly intrusive and/or harassing discovery by the corporation being sued.

The precise information relating to your situation depends upon the jurisdictional rules of evidence, which vary from state to state and from forum to forum.

Before wading into these thickets or at the first moment you see the tendrils of litigation possibly reaching for you, consult a lawyer and/or schedule a free consultation with PEER legal staff.