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. 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.
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 Michigan 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 Michigan 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 Michigan are confirmed 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.