Commonwealth Consolidated Regulations

FEDERAL COURT RULES - ORDER 34A RULE 3

         (1)   This rule applies if 2 or more parties to a proceeding call, or intend to call, expert witnesses to give opinion evidence about the same, or a similar, question.

         (2)   The Court or a Judge may direct:

                       (a)    that the expert witnesses confer; or

                      (b)    that the expert witnesses produce for use by the Court a document identifying:

                                        (i)    the matters and issues about which their opinions are in agreement; and

                                       (ii)    the matters and issues about which their opinions differ; or

                       (c)    that:

                                        (i)    the expert witnesses give evidence at trial after all or certain factual evidence relevant to the question has been led; and

                                       (ii)    each party intending to call 1 or more expert witnesses close that party's case in relation to the question, subject only to adducing the evidence of the expert witnesses later in the trial; or

                      (d)    that, after all or certain factual evidence has been led, each expert witness file and serve an affidavit or statement indicating:

                                        (i)    whether the expert witness adheres to any opinion earlier given; or

                                       (ii)    whether, in the light of factual evidence led at trial, the expert witness wishes to modify any opinion earlier given; or

                       (e)    that:

                                        (i)    each expert witness be sworn one immediately after another; and

                                       (ii)    when giving evidence, an expert witness occupy a position in the courtroom (not necessarily in the witness box) that is appropriate to the giving of evidence; or

                       (f)    that each expert witness give an oral exposition of his or her opinion, or opinions, on the question; or

                       (g)    that each expert witness give his or her opinion about the opinion, or opinions, given by another expert witness; or

                       (h)    that the expert witnesses be cross‑examined in a certain manner or sequence; or

                               (i)    that cross‑examination, or re‑examination, of the expert witnesses be conducted:

                                        (i)    by completing the cross‑examination or re‑examination of an expert witness before starting the cross‑examination or re‑examination of another; or

                                       (ii)    by putting to each expert witness, in turn, each question relevant to one subject or issue at a time, until the cross‑examination or re‑examination of all the witnesses is completed.