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The expansion of human knowledge requires thatcourts of law increasingly rely on expert witnesses,including medical expert witnesses, in their search for the truth. But as several recent cases have illustrated, the unfettered use of experts in judicial proceedings can have tragic consequences. In Ontario, the expert testimony of Dr. Charles Smith, a pediatric forensic pathologist, has been linked to several miscarriages of justice and resulted in an official inquiry conducted by Justice Stephen Goudge. In his report, Goudge identified several concerns regarding the interaction between medical expert witnesses and the justice system.1 The medical community should be informed of these concerns, so that any physicians testifying as expert witnesses are aware of their proper role and can thus help to safeguard the integrity of the justice system. Goals of the adversarial system Achieving justice in a legal proceeding is generally base