NAFE Membership and Florida Damages Testimony

By KW Economics Editorial Team · Published · Updated

Florida courts apply a reliability inquiry to expert testimony: the judge asks whether the economist is qualified, whether the opinion rests on sufficient facts and on reliable principles and methods, and whether those methods were applied reliably to the facts of the case. A damages report is written to that standard, with each rate and table traced to a published source. NAFE membership adds a published ethics statement and a peer-reviewed literature that counsel can hold any report against; it does not replace that inquiry, and it is not a certification.

Recognition and qualification in Florida

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.

NAFE membership means the same thing in Florida as anywhere else, because the association is national and no state recognizes or requires it: the economist has joined the field's professional body and agreed to its ethics statement. What that gives counsel in a matter venued in Florida is a written standard to test a report against, including an opposing report: disclosed data and assumptions, a method the economist would apply the same way for either side, and fees that do not depend on the outcome. Membership is verified with the association for the year in question rather than from a CV line, and the affiliations of the economist assigned to a matter venued in Florida are confirmed at engagement.

KW Economics economists apply nationally recognized methods while accounting for Florida's wage levels, venue, and damages rules.

Florida courts and venues

Economic damages experts testify in Florida's courts, where qualification is decided case by case on education, method, and experience rather than on any single credential.

Highest court: Florida Supreme Court. Federal venues: N.D. Fla., M.D. Fla., S.D. Fla. Court system: flcourts.gov.

Forensic economists for Florida matters

KW Economics provides forensic economists for Florida 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.

Other credentials in Florida

Frequently asked: qualifying a forensic economist in Florida

How do Florida courts qualify a forensic economist?

Florida courts apply a reliability inquiry to expert testimony: the judge asks whether the economist is qualified, whether the opinion rests on sufficient facts and on reliable principles and methods, and whether those methods were applied reliably to the facts of the case. A damages report is written to that standard, with each rate and table traced to a published source. 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.

More questions about this credential

References

Request a consultation on Florida damages matters or call (201) 343-0700. Plaintiff and defense counsel.