Expert

Expert, a man of special practical experience or education in regard to a particular subject—a word commonly applied (after the French) to medical or scientific witnesses in a court of justice, when selected on account of special qualifications, as in the case of an analysis of the contents of the stomach in suspected poisoning. The term is similarly applied to a person professionally skilled in handwriting, for detection of forgery of deeds and signatures (see WRITING). It has been contended (see Nature, vol. xxxix. p. 589) that there should be experts specially retained to assist judges in cases where technical skill is necessary.