You should therefore be prepared to cover all areas in one concise but thorough statement. The second part of your testimony includes questions that deal with the general scientific concepts and technologies used in the case. The prosecutor will want to educate the jury and give you a chance to gain their confidence by having you briefly explain what DNA is and how the testing works. This should be informative and educational but as brief and nontechnical as possible. Jurors almost immediately tune out technical jargon, which can render even the most qualified expert ineffective.
Jurors attach themselves to experts who can teach the basic concepts in simple layman's language.
The aim of this type of questioning is to help the jury conceptualize the basics of the technology so that the results you present will have the impact they deserve. Lose the jury at this point and your effectiveness as an expert will also be lost. One of the ironies here is that a less qualified expert who is adept at explaining these concepts may be more effective than a more qualified expert who cannot communicate with the jury. The last category of questions will be about the testing performed in the case. You will be asked to explain the basis for that opinion.