Resources & insights
Guidance for the people who rely on expert evidence.
Technical, procedural and practical articles for legal teams, insurers and property stakeholders — plus quick guides, a working glossary, jurisdiction notes and downloadable checklists.
The Expert Witness Code of Conduct in Australia — a plain-English guide
The paramount duty to the court, what every expert report must contain, and the version of the Code that applies in each Australian jurisdiction.
01 Jul 2026 · 10 min
ARTICLE-02 · CornerstoneHow to write an expert witness report in Australia
The structure, reasoning chain and style Australian courts and tribunals expect from construction and engineering expert reports.
28 Jun 2026 · 12 min
ARTICLE-03 · CornerstoneInstructing a construction expert witness in Australia
When to engage, how to vet, how to draft the letter of instruction, and the red flags that predict a report the court will discount.
22 Jun 2026 · 11 min
ARTICLE-04 · LawyersWhat is a construction expert witness?
How Australian courts define an expert witness, the Code of Conduct duty, and when a construction expert report is required.
10 Jun 2026 · 6 min
ARTICLE-05 · Property ownersThe building defect report process explained
From inspection brief to court-ready report — the step-by-step process used in Australian building defect disputes.
08 Jun 2026 · 7 min
ARTICLE-06 · DevelopersCommon construction defects in Australia
Waterproofing, façade, structural movement and stormwater — the recurring defects driving Australian construction litigation.
03 Jun 2026 · 8 min
ARTICLE-07 · Strata managersWaterproofing failures and concrete cancer
How remedial engineers identify membrane failure, concrete spalling and the rectification scope required for strata claims.
01 Jun 2026 · 7 min
ARTICLE-08 · InsurersSigns of structural movement
Cracking patterns, deflection and subsidence indicators forensic engineers rely on to confirm causation.
27 May 2026 · 5 min
ARTICLE-09 · LawyersWhen is a remedial engineer required?
Distinguishing maintenance issues from latent defects — the trigger points for instructing a remedial engineering expert.
25 May 2026 · 6 min
Editorial cadence: two service articles, one authority article and one case study each week.
Quick guides
One-page references for common briefing tasks.
Briefing an expert witness
A one-page checklist for issuing instructions, the letter of engagement and the Code of Conduct acknowledgement.
QG-02Site inspection scope
What an inspection should cover — access, destructive testing, sampling and photographic protocols.
QG-03Scott Schedule essentials
Defect, cause, scope and quantum — the four columns that decide most building disputes.
QG-04Joint expert conclave prep
How to prepare for pre-trial conferral and produce a defensible joint statement.
Glossary
Plain-English terms used in expert evidence.
- Code of Conduct
- Court rules (UCPR Sch 7 NSW, equivalents elsewhere) governing an expert's paramount duty to the court.
- Scott Schedule
- Tabular pleading of defects with cause, rectification scope and cost columns used in building disputes.
- Concurrent evidence
- The 'hot tub' — experts give evidence together so the tribunal can compare opinions in real time.
- Latent defect
- A defect not reasonably discoverable on completion, often surfacing years later under warranty regimes.
- Concrete cancer
- Colloquial term for reinforcement corrosion causing concrete spalling, common in coastal balconies.
- Rectification scope
- The defined works required to remedy a defect to a compliant, durable standard.
Jurisdictions
Where the Code of Conduct rules apply.
- NSWNCAT and Supreme Court — UCPR 31.23 expert Code of Conduct applies.
- VICVCAT and Supreme Court — Order 44 Expert Witness Code of Conduct.
- QLDQCAT and District / Supreme — UCPR Ch 11 Pt 5 expert evidence rules.
- WASAT and Supreme Court — RSC O 36A practice direction for experts.
- SASupreme Court Rules 2006 Ch 7 Pt 7 expert witness Code.
- TAS / NT / ACTEquivalent expert Codes with paramount duty to the court.
Templates & checklists
Downloadable starters — request via the contact form.
Letter of instruction template
Editable template for instructing a construction or remedial expert.
Request copyDefect inspection checklist
Site checklist covering access, sampling, photography and chain-of-custody.
Request copyScott Schedule starter
Spreadsheet starter with defect, cause, scope and quantum columns.
Request copyNeed help
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