An expert witness is a professional who offers specialized opinions based on their training, experience, methodology, and data in a family law case. Common expert witnesses in Arizona family law include business appraisers, forensic accountants, vocational experts, real estate appraisers, mental health professionals, and domestic violence experts.

Expert witnesses must be properly disclosed with their opinions, the basis for those opinions, and their qualifications within the time required by the case management order. Failure to properly disclose an expert can result in exclusion of their testimony at trial.

Expert witnesses are expensive. Assess whether the likely benefit of expert testimony in a specific case justifies the cost before retaining an expert.