One-third of expert witnesses now use AI in court work, survey finds

A new ExpertPages survey finds generative AI has rapidly reached the expert witness market, with 35% of experts and litigation consultants now using it and most adoption happening in the past year. The report also shows average hourly rates rising to $465, with top specialists charging far more.

Why it matters: - Expert witnesses help shape outcomes in litigation, so AI use in this field can affect research speed, report drafting and case preparation. - The survey suggests generative AI is moving from experiment to standard tool even in a profession built on credibility and accuracy. - Hourly rates remain high, and specialty pricing continues to widen the gap between fields.

What happened: - ExpertPages released its 2026 Expert Witness Fees & Practices Comprehensive Report on Oct. 6, 2026. - The report found 35% of expert witnesses and litigation consultants use generative AI tools in their work. - Most of that adoption happened in the past year. - Nearly four in five AI-using experts say the tools have already made them more productive. - The report is based on confidential responses from more than 425 experts across North America.

The details: - Research and literature review is the top AI use case, cited by 32% of AI-using experts. - 14% use AI for drafting or editing their own reports. - 12% use AI to review opposing experts' reports. - 78% of AI users report at least some efficiency or productivity gain. - 31% of AI users say the gain has been significant. - 81% of AI-using experts have some concern about AI hallucinations or inaccuracies. - 57% say they already have a process to catch and correct errors. - Experts gave AI's future role in their work an average confidence score of 6.8 out of 10, with a median of 7.3. - Average expert witness hourly rates reached $465. - Securities & Investment experts charge the most at $725 per hour. - AI/Artificial Intelligence experts average $597 per hour. - Physicians average $588 per hour. - Auto, Aviation, Boat & Rail experts average $387 per hour. - Documents & Handwriting experts average $340 per hour. - The Top Line Report is available for free download at the fee survey.

Between the lines: - AI is already becoming a paid specialty in its own right, not just a back-office efficiency tool. - The strong concern about hallucinations shows adoption is happening alongside caution, not despite it. - The fee spread reinforces that deep technical expertise still commands premium pricing even as AI enters more workflows. - Gerry H. Goldsholle, founder and CEO of Advice Company, said a third of experts are already using AI tools, mainly for research, with real concern about accuracy but confidence the technology is here to stay.

What's next: - ExpertPages said the survey has tracked expert witness trends on a biennial basis since 2008. - The 2026 survey was conducted from Jan. 8 through April 15, 2026 by DeBow Communications Ltd. - The survey carries a 95% confidence level and a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points overall. - The 2026 Expert Witness Fees & Practices Comprehensive Report is available only to Members and Journalists. - ExpertPages said AI's role in expert witness work is expected to keep growing.

The bottom line: - AI has arrived in expert witness work quickly, but high fees, accuracy concerns and field-specific expertise still define the market.