Commencement of the Panel of Psychiatrists and Rules Relating to Expert Evidence and Reports in Criminal Proceedings
Source: MinLaw
Article Date: 04 Dec 2025
The Criminal Procedure (Expert Opinion) Rules 2025 and related legislative amendments will come into effect on 31 December 2025. These amendments will (a) require psychiatrists to be a member of the Panel of Psychiatrists before they can give psychiatric expert evidence in criminal proceedings; and (b) provide for Rules in relation to expert evidence and reports in criminal proceedings.
Commencement of the Panel of Psychiatrists and Rules Relating to Expert Evidence and Reports in Criminal Proceedings
The Criminal Procedure (Expert Opinion) Rules 2025 and related legislative amendments will come into effect on 31 December 2025. These amendments will:
- require psychiatrists to be a member of the Panel of Psychiatrists (Panel) before they can give psychiatric expert evidence in criminal proceedings; and
- provide for Rules in relation to expert evidence and reports in criminal proceedings.
Panel of Psychiatrists
Expert evidence from psychiatrists plays a critical role in the criminal process, especially with the rise in the use of psychiatric expert evidence in criminal cases. It is crucial to ensure that the standards of objectivity and competence expected of expert witnesses are met consistently. The establishment of the Panel will better safeguard the objectivity and quality of such evidence.
The Panel’s website will also provide a central and public directory of all the appointed members. This will allow increased visibility for the listed psychiatrists, and greater choice for lawyers looking to engage a psychiatrist. We strongly encourage all qualified psychiatrists who may be required to give psychiatric expert evidence in criminal proceedings to apply for appointment between 31 December 2025 and 28 February 2026.
Rules relating to expert reports and evidence
The Criminal Procedure (Expert Opinion) Rules 2025 will also provide for
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- duties of an expert to the Court;
- requirements relating to expert reports; and
- the Court’s power to order concurrent expert evidence or “hot-tubbing” with the consent of the parties.
Click here for more information, visit the Panel’s website here or find out more about the Criminal Procedure (Expert Opinion) Rules 2025 here.
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