Testifying in Court: a Guide for Physicians, ed. 3.

Testifying in Court: A Guide for Physicians, ed 3 Physical therapy practitioners who are interested in reading about medical jurisprudence would find this slender volume a good place to start. The authors wrote for a target audience of physicians, but many of the arguments are relevant for physical therapists.

In the foreword, Belli identifies three categories of physicians who testify in court: 1) "fact" witnesses, who know the medical condition of patients they have examined or treated; 2) "opinion" witnesses, whose expertise on the medical issues help the judge and jury in their adjudications; and 3) malpractice suit defendants, whose professional careers hang in the balance. In the 19 short chapters that follow, the authors walk the reader through the judicial process. They begin by exposing myths about the court system that can worry physicians and proceed through such matters as responding to a subpoena, preparing a deposition statement, becoming an effective expert witness, handling tough cross-examinations, and testifying.

To illustrate both proper conduct and potential pitfalls, Horsley culls enlivening case histories from his 40 years of experience in legal practice. The text covers such practical matters as how to set a witness fee, proper attire for a courtroom appearance, and correct posture for sitting in the witness chair. The appendix consists of posttrial interviews with jurors in a malpractice suit, revealing what factors apart from the evidence influenced the jurors' verdict. For example, the jurors labeled the defendent "arrogant" and "pompous" because he drank water and sucked on the temples of his glasses during the trial. The authors clearly believe that the way physicians behave during legal proceedings greatly affects the outcome. The book is a beginning primer on proper courtroom deportment.

The book also emphasizes the importance of keeping clear, accurate, complete, and legible medical records for all patients. The authors provide a check list of items that must appear in good medical records. They also present examples of poor medical record keeping. The authors direct their remarks to physicians, but keeping good patient records should also be the concern of physical therapy practitioners.

The exact nature of the book's audience is unclear. The authors offer advice on how to select the right jury but offer no suggestions on how to select the right legal counsel. The book has no bibliography or glossary of legal terms. Cases are cited anecdotally without footnotes. The authors provide a well-written glimpse into the US legal system, but the physical therapist facing a malpractice suit or the practitioner called on to provide expert testimony may require a text that offers more substantive information.