Michigan courts require the trial judge to act as gatekeeper for expert testimony, asking whether the economist is qualified, whether the opinion rests on sufficient facts and reliable principles and methods, and whether those methods were applied reliably to the case. A damages report meets that inquiry by naming the published source behind every assumption and tying each to the record. AAEFE membership adds a curated damages literature, the academy's peer-reviewed journal, that a report's method can be measured against; it does not replace that inquiry, and it is not a certification.
State recognition: Recognized nationally; no state licensure applies. There is no state license for forensic economists to check, so counsel verify the credential with its issuer and review the economist's testimony record directly.
AAEFE membership carries no Michigan recognition and needs none: the academy is a national association of economists, finance academics, and accountants who serve as experts, and membership signals participation in its journal and meetings rather than a tested qualification. Its value in a matter venued in Michigan runs through the literature. When a discount rate approach, a valuation method, or a lost profits framework in a report can be traced to the academy's journal, the method has a published, criticized, and refined basis, and an opposing report that departs from that literature can be measured against it. Membership is confirmed with the academy directly, and the affiliations of the economist assigned to a matter venued in Michigan are stated at engagement.
KW Economics economists apply nationally recognized methods while accounting for Michigan's wage levels, venue, and damages rules.
Economic damages experts testify in Michigan's courts, where qualification is decided case by case on education, method, and experience rather than on any single credential.
Highest court: Michigan Supreme Court. Federal venues: E.D. Mich., W.D. Mich. Court system: courts.michigan.gov.
KW Economics provides forensic economists for Michigan damages matters, including remote consultation, report preparation, and deposition or trial testimony where the case is venued. Contact us to discuss availability for your matter.
Michigan courts require the trial judge to act as gatekeeper for expert testimony, asking whether the economist is qualified, whether the opinion rests on sufficient facts and reliable principles and methods, and whether those methods were applied reliably to the case. A damages report meets that inquiry by naming the published source behind every assumption and tying each to the record. Recognized nationally; no state licensure applies. There is no state license for forensic economists to check, so counsel verify the credential with its issuer and review the economist's testimony record directly.
Request a consultation on Michigan damages matters or call (201) 343-0700. Plaintiff and defense counsel.