In a simple way we can define the word expert as a person who is a specialist or an expert in something. Focusing on the economic field, we can expand this definition by saying that an expert is a university graduate who, based on his academic training, formulates his opinion on a subject related to it. Therefore, it is common for experts to participate in the resolution of certain conflicts between two or more parties.
Experts usually act or participate at the request of one of the parties in solving certain legal problems. It is worth mentioning that in those cases in which the subject lacks a regulated education, the person who has the necessary experience to act in an expert opinion is also considered an expert.
Based on this definition of the term expert, we can make the following classification with the types of existing experts.
Types of experts
Experts can be classified based on various criteria as follows.
Experts according to their degree
According to the studies they have, we can distinguish:
- Qualified experts. Those who have some kind of official degree.
- Knowledgeable experts. Those who, even though they are experts, lack a specific degree in the field. Those for which there is no degree are also included.
Experts depending on the area on which they carry out expert opinions
Depending on the area in which they operate there are:
- Medical experts. Medical specialists who act as experts at the request of a party usually in a judicial process.
- Accounting expert. Specialist in accounting who acts as an expert at the request of a party, it is also usual that it is in a judicial process.
- General experts. Specialists in various subjects.
Legal experts
Among the experts who participate in legal proceedings we find:
- Legal experts. Those who appear on the official list of experts for judicial acts waiting to be called to intervene in a judicial process.
- Ex officio expert. Anyone who appears on the list of judicial experts is called ex officio to participate in a procedure.
- Expert part. One who participates in a judicial process at the request of one of the intervening parties.