GILBERTSONInvestigations Inc. (239) 571-1840
Use of Force
Self-Defense
False Arrest & Search
Criminal-Defense Support
Police Misconduct
Deficient Investigations
Failure to Train & Monell
Agency Training
From the record $640,000 jury verdict, with the jury crediting the expert testimony. Hunter v. City of Federal Way, W.D. Wash.
Retention $15,000 initial case retainer · four experts, one co-authored report Full case history For Retaining Counsel The Library · Guides for counsel
Gilbertson Investigations Inc. · Reference

The
Library

Sixty-eight working references for retaining counsel: how a retention runs, the standards the analysis applies, the questions answered plainly, and the vocabulary of the discipline. Written the way the reports are written: from the record, without embellishment.

Discuss a matter For Retaining Counsel

Attorney and law-firm inquiries only

Retaining the Expert

Retaining the Expert.

How a retention actually runs: timing, fees, the record, reports, depositions and trial, on the published schedule.

01When to Retain a Police Practices Expert 02What a Police Practices Expert Witness Does 03Police Expert Witness Fees, Explained 04The First Inquiry: What to Send an Expert 05The Discovery File Counsel Assembles 06Anatomy of a Police Practices Expert Report 07Rule 26 Expert Disclosures, Explained 08Expert Depositions: How They Run 09Daubert, Rule 702 and Police Practices Testimony 10Rebuttal Reports and Opposing Expert Review 11Consulting vs. Testifying Expert Retentions 12Trial Testimony and Travel, Nationwide 13Expert Report Timelines: The 60-Day Rule 14Retained by Both Sides: Why It Matters 15Mediation and Settlement Consultation 16Case-Merit Evaluation Before You File
Standards & Method

Standards & Method.

The standards and the method: what the analysis measures, what the record shows, and how the opinions are built.

01Graham v. Connor, Explained for Litigators 02Tennessee v. Garner and the Deadly Force Standard 03The Totality of the Circumstances in Force Analysis 04What Generally Accepted Police Practices Means 05Policy, Practice and Training: The Three Layers 06Force Options and Decision Models 07De-Escalation Standards: What They Require 08What Police Training Records Reveal 09Building the Record Chronology 10Internal Affairs Review: The Practice Standards 11Early Warning Systems and Supervision 12The Monell Record: An Evidence Checklist 13Reasonable Suspicion vs. Probable Cause, in Practice 14How Police Reports Fail 15Crime Scene Documentation Standards 16Police Pursuit Policy Standards
Questions Counsel Ask

Questions Counsel Ask.

Direct answers to the questions counsel ask before they send a record.

01What Never Excluded at Trial Actually Means 02Can a Police Expert Give Legal Conclusions? 03Does the Expert Need the Complete Record? 04What If the Expert's Opinion Does Not Help? 05Talking to an Expert Before Retention 06Who Pays for the Expert's Deposition? 07How Much Casework, and in How Many States? 08What Is the Roundtable Model? 09What Is a Use-of-Force Review Board? 10What Is CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) Training? 11What Is a Terry Stop? 12Qualified Immunity and the Expert's Role 13What Is a Section 1983 Claim? 14What Is a Garrity Statement? 15Brady and Giglio Material in Police Files 16What Is Chain of Custody? 17What Is Tunnel Vision in an Investigation? 18What Is a No-Knock Warrant? 19What Is the Police Duty to Intervene? 20What Is POST Certification and Decertification? 21What Is CALEA Accreditation? 22What Is a Monell Claim? 23Stand Your Ground vs. Self-Defense: The Difference 24What Is the Castle Doctrine? 25What Jurisdictions Does a Nationwide Expert Cover? 26What Happens in an Expert's Conflict Check? 27What Is a Supplemental Expert Report? 28Can Defense Counsel Use the Same Kind of Expert?
The Lexicon

The Lexicon.

The working vocabulary of police practices litigation, defined the way the reports use it.

01Use-of-Force Terms: A Litigator's Lexicon 02Stops, Arrests and Searches: A Litigator's Lexicon 03Police Records and Reports: A Litigator's Lexicon 04Police Training and Certification: A Lexicon 05Expert Litigation Terms: A Working Lexicon 06Supervision and Monell Terms: A Lexicon 07Investigation Terms: A Litigator's Lexicon 08Self-Defense Terms: A Litigator's Lexicon
The Case Itself

Reference is not retention.

These pages explain the discipline. A live matter needs the record, the conflict check, and the published schedule: start on the For Retaining Counsel page, or bring the matter directly below.

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Bring a matter, not just a question.

Attorney inquiries are answered directly. If a case presents a conflict, you will hear it immediately.

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For counsel ready to move from reading to retention.

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You will hear back directly. If the matter is urgent, call (239) 571-1840.