Report Structure and Standards
A forensic expert report for court submission must be clear, complete, objective, and reproducible. Professional standards (SWGDAM for DNA, AFTE for firearms, OSAC for multiple disciplines) provide reporting guidelines. The report opens with the expert's qualifications summary, then states the purpose of the examination and the questions asked by the requesting attorney. The evidence section lists every item examined with unique identifiers. The methodology section describes analytical procedures with sufficient detail that another qualified examiner could replicate the work. Results are presented factually without interpretation. Opinions and conclusions follow, each explicitly tied to the supporting evidence. Limitations and uncertainties are stated honestly. The report ends with a signature, date, and certification that the opinions are held to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty.