Expert psychiatric witness training at the Royal Courts of Justice
Following the success of pilot introductory expert witness training for psychiatrists, a further course will take place at Inner Temple and the Royal Courts of Justice (RCJ).
The course will be led by Professor Keith Rix and Dr Samrat Sengupta in collaboration with .
Although this is intended as an introduction to the role of psychiatric experts in the Family Court, it is also suitable for psychiatrists who intend to give, or have started giving, evidence in the criminal courts.
On the morning of day one, participants take part in a fully scripted dramatisation of criminal and family justice processes at the Royal Courts of Justice. This will begin with a homicide in a psychiatric hospital and end in a Family Court hearing concerning the killer’s child. Between each scene there will be opportunities to analyse and discuss the criminal justice process and family proceedings and ask questions. In the afternoon participants take part in a report-writing workshop. Psychiatrists who have attended the equivalent of day one training delivered by Professor Rix will be exempt from attendance on day one and pay a reduced course fee.
Between day one and day two, participants prepare a report based on supplied case material, they exchange their report with one other participant and then prepare a critique of the report with which they have been supplied.
On the morning of day two at 2DRJ, participants discuss their reports in pairs and then in plenary and consider further the Family Court procedures. During the day there will be an opportunity to meet and question, Mr Justice David Williams, a Family Division High Court judge and Chair of the Family Justice Council Committee on Medical Experts. At the RCJ in the afternoon participants are cross-examined for 20 minutes each on their reports by 2DRJ barristers and following which there is discussion about cross-examination.
The training is completed when participants have taken up the opportunity to sit for a day with a judge in their locality in a case in which expert evidence is being given.
Day one will take place on 18 November 2025 and day two will take place on 14 and 15 January 2026 (two groups of ten participants each day) and possibly one or two further dates.
The course is limited to 40 people so early expressions of interest are encouraged.
The fee for the course is ?665 and day two only rate for those who have already attended day one is ?445.
Please contact events@2drj.com for further details.