Legal Services Offshore blog
Checking citations in an expert report
Compare cited sources, page references, and quoted text with the underlying materials while counsel and the expert control the opinions.
Citation errors damage credibility
An expert report stands on its sources. A citation that points to the wrong page, a quotation that differs from the original, or a source that does not exist gives the opposing side an easy attack. A citation check is a clerical control, not a review of the opinion.
Build a citation table
List each citation with the report page, the cited source, the pin cite, the quoted text, and the source location. Add a column for the check result. The table becomes the working record and the basis for any correction.
Verify the source and the pin cite
Open the cited source and confirm the page or paragraph. Check that the quotation matches exactly, including punctuation that changes meaning. Where the source is a deposition or trial transcript, confirm the page and line numbers.
Distinguish missing from different
A source that cannot be located is a gap. A source that says something different is a substantive issue for the expert and counsel. Record each with the precise difference and do not rewrite the expert opinion to fit the source.
Return corrections with evidence
Send the citation table to the report owner with the source excerpts attached. Mark which items are clerical and which require the expert’s attention. Counsel decides how the report is revised and whether a supplemental report is needed.
Keep the check reproducible
Save the sources, the citation table, and the final report version. If the report is challenged, the check record shows what was verified and what remained open at the time of service.