Bill > SB459

This bill amends Wisconsin Statute 907.02(1) to change the requirements for admitting expert witness testimony in court. Previously, the law allowed expert testimony if it would help the judge or jury understand the evidence or a fact in dispute, and the witness was qualified. Now, the bill requires the party presenting the expert witness (the "proponent") to demonstrate to the court that it is more likely than not that the testimony is based on enough facts or data, is the result of reliable principles and methods, and that the witness's opinion shows a reliable application of those principles and methods to the specific facts of the case. This change aims to ensure that expert testimony is more rigorously vetted for its reliability and relevance before it can be presented to the court.