Opinion ID: 1203661
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 15

Heading: Qualifying an Expert Witness

Text: Spencer contends that the trial court erred in qualifying Dr. McElfresh as an expert in the fields of molecular and population genetics. In doing so, Spencer asserts, the trial court violated [his constitutional] rights to due process, equal protection and a fair trial. Whether a witness may qualify as an expert is a matter that rests largely in a trial court's discretion. The trial court's decision will not be disturbed on appeal unless it clearly appears that the witness was not qualified. Freeman v. Commonwealth, 223 Va. 301, 315, 288 S.E.2d 461, 469 (1982). As previously stated, Dr. McElfresh is the manager and supervisor of the forensic and paternity testing laboratories at Lifecodes Corporation. In addition to his supervisory duties at the laboratory, Dr. McElfresh has personally used the DNA printing technique over a hundred times at Lifecodes' laboratory and approximately [a] thousand times at other locations. He previously had qualified as an expert witness in the fields of molecular genetics and population genetics on eight occasions. Both counsel and the court examined Dr. McElfresh about his professional qualifications and his expertise in the DNA printing technique. From the examination, the court found that Dr. McElfresh was eminently qualified to render an opinion in the fields of molecular and population genetics. Clearly, in making this finding, the trial court did not abuse its discretion. [9]