July 1, 2024

DECIDED

In re Proposed Amendments to Ohio Rule of Evidence 702

On July 1, 2024, proposed changes to Ohio Rule of Evidence 702 took effect. The amendment adds a preponderance of the evidence standard for expert witness qualification, while also requiring that the expert witness’s opinion must reflect a reliable application of the principles and methods to the facts of the case. These changes mirror a recent amendment to the rule’s federal counterpart, Federal Rule of Evidence 702. The rule change was a success for WLF, which filed an October 2023 comment with the Ohio Supreme Court encouraging the court to harmonize the state and federal rules.

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