NAFE Membership and Puerto Rico Damages Testimony

By KW Economics Editorial Team · Published · Updated

Puerto Rico's rules of evidence follow the federal model for expert testimony: the court asks whether the economist is qualified, whether the opinion rests on sufficient facts and reliable principles and methods, and whether those methods were reliably applied to the case. A damages report meets that inquiry by naming its sources and tying each assumption to the record, in the language the court requires. 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 Puerto Rico

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 Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico are confirmed at engagement.

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

Puerto Rico courts and venues

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

Highest court: Supreme Court of Puerto Rico (Tribunal Supremo de Puerto Rico). Federal venues: D.P.R.

Forensic economists for Puerto Rico matters

KW Economics provides forensic economists for Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico

Frequently asked: qualifying a forensic economist in Puerto Rico

How do Puerto Rico courts qualify a forensic economist?

Puerto Rico's rules of evidence follow the federal model for expert testimony: the court asks whether the economist is qualified, whether the opinion rests on sufficient facts and reliable principles and methods, and whether those methods were reliably applied to the case. A damages report meets that inquiry by naming its sources and tying each assumption to the record, in the language the court requires. 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 Puerto Rico damages matters or call (201) 343-0700. Plaintiff and defense counsel.