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Medical expert witnesses for criminal cases.
Psychiatric reports on fitness to plead, mental state at the time of the offence, sentencing, and medical evidence on injuries. Send the charge, the issues and the hearing date. We take legally aided cases in the Crown Court and the magistrates’ courts, and the search is free.
What you get on a criminal case.
Tell us the charge, the issues and the next hearing date.
Experts for the hearing date
You get each expert’s CV, fee and availability, with Section 12-approved psychiatrists where the question needs one. Reports usually take 1 to 2 weeks, or 2 to 3 days when urgent. Timescales are estimates and depend on expert availability, the appointment and receipt of the relevant records.
Quotes within the legal aid rates
Quotes come within the criminal legal aid rates, and where the case justifies more, the quote gives the reasons for your application. We check experts for registration and insurance.
In custody or on bail
The expert can see your client in prison, in hospital or where they live, or by video where that suits the question. A named case manager arranges the appointment and manages the instruction through to delivery of the report.
Fitness to plead, mental state and sentence.
Fitness to be tried needs the evidence of two or more registered medical practitioners, at least one of them Section 12-approved (Criminal Procedure (Insanity) Act 1964, s4(6)). Tell us if you need an approved psychiatrist.
In England and Wales, diminished responsibility and insanity turn on psychiatric evidence about the defendant’s mental state at the time of the offence. The tests, the trial of the facts and the disposals are on our page on forensic psychiatric evidence.
Where an offender is or appears to be suffering from a mental disorder, the court must obtain and consider a medical report before passing a custodial sentence, unless it considers one unnecessary (Sentencing Act 2020, s232). If sentence has been adjourned for a psychiatric report, put the sentencing date in the enquiry.
Injuries and physical conditions.
Tell us the injury and the issue, and we match the expert to them.
Where more than one defendant wants expert evidence on an issue at trial, the court may direct that it is given by one expert only (CrimPR 19.7). Tell us if there are co-defendants.
Reports written to CrimPR Part 19.
The expert reports under Part 19 of the Criminal Procedure Rules 2025 and the Criminal Practice Directions 2023, with a statement of their duty to the court (CrimPR 19.2 and 19.4).
You need no permission to instruct an expert in a criminal case, so you can send us the outline now. A party who wants to rely on the evidence serves the report on the court officer and each other party as soon as practicable (CrimPR 19.3(3)).
The expert must tell the instructing party anything that could undermine the reliability of the opinion or their impartiality, including, since 18 November 2025, a resolved adverse finding by a regulator; you give notice of it when serving the report (CrimPR 19.2(3)(d) and 19.3(3)(c); Criminal Practice Directions 2023, para 7.1.4).
Legal aid for experts in criminal cases.
England and Wales
- Prior authority from the Legal Aid Agency is required in some cases and optional in others; where it is required and you do not apply in advance, the cost may not be paid
- Rates are set by the Criminal Legal Aid (Remuneration) Regulations 2013, Schedule 5
Scotland
- You must obtain SLAB’s prior approval to employ any expert witness, whether for a report or to give evidence (Criminal Legal Aid (Scotland) Regulations 1996, reg 14(1))
- Approval after the event is given only for a special reason
Northern Ireland
- In criminal matters prior authority is not required under rule 9 of the Legal Aid for Crown Court Proceedings (Costs) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2005
- The Legal Services Agency’s July 2026 guidance still covers criminal certificates, because practitioners do seek authority in criminal cases
Tell us the case is legally aided, and the quotes come within the legal aid rates. Where the case justifies a higher rate, the quote sets out why, ready for your prior authority application (in Scotland, SLAB’s prior approval), and we help with the paperwork.
Across the UK.
We find experts for criminal cases in Scotland and Northern Ireland too. Tell us the court.
England and Wales
- Prosecutions by the CPS, with the expert evidence rules in CrimPR Part 19
- Fitness to be tried under the 1964 Act
Scotland
- The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is the prosecution service
- The expert gives evidence as a skilled witness, and the evidence must be necessary for the proper resolution of the matter at issue
- A person is unfit for trial if, on the balance of probabilities, they are incapable by reason of a mental or physical condition of participating effectively in a trial (Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, s53F)
Northern Ireland
- The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) is the principal prosecuting authority
- Unfitness to be tried on indictment is dealt with under the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, art 49
Questions about criminal expert evidence.
For anything else about your case, call us.
Call 0121 752 6061How quickly can you find an expert?
Reports usually take 1 to 2 weeks, or 2 to 3 days when urgent. Timescales are estimates and depend on expert availability, the appointment and receipt of the relevant records. Put the hearing date in the enquiry.
What if my client may be unfit to plead?
In the Crown Court, the judge decides on the evidence of two or more registered medical practitioners, at least one of them duly approved. Tell us if you need an approved psychiatrist. See fitness to plead.
Do we need prior authority for the expert?
In England and Wales, sometimes: it is required in some cases and optional in others. In Scotland you need SLAB’s prior approval for any expert, and in Northern Ireland it is not required in criminal matters. Tell us how the case is funded, and the quote is ready for the application.
Send the case. We find the experts.
- The type of caseFamily, personal injury, criminal, immigration, employment…
- The specialty, or the issuesIf you are not sure who you need, describe the medical questions
- The court or tribunalAnd any directions already made about expert evidence
- Your deadlineHearing, filing or limitation date
- How the case is fundedLegal aid, private, CFA or insurer
Send a case enquiry, obtain CVs and quotes in minutes
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Urgent case?0121 752 6061info@
You can also call us on 0121 752 6061.
Tell us your deadline.
We send you the CVs, fees and availability of experts who can meet it.