The general (repeat) registration requirements are given in the next paragraphs in italics with a reference to Article 12 paragraph 2 in the Register of Court Experts in Criminal Cases Decree (Besluit register deskundige in strafzaken).
An expert will only be registered as an expert in criminal cases upon submission of the application if, in the opinion of the Board, the expert:
has sufficient knowledge and experience in the field of expertise to which the application relates;
has sufficient knowledge of and experience in the field of law concerned, and is sufficiently familiar with the position and the role of the expert in this field;
is able to inform the commissioning party whether, and if so, to what extent the commissioning party’s question at issue is sufficiently clear and capable of investigation in order to be able to answer it on the basis of their specific expertise;
is able, on the basis of the question at issue, to prepare and carry out an investigation plan in accordance with the applicable standards;
is able to collect, document, interpret and assess investigative materials and data in a forensic context in accordance with the applicable standards;
is able to apply the current investigative methods in a forensic context in accordance with the applicable standards
is able to give a verifiable and well-reasoned case report on the assignment and any other relevant aspects of their expertise in terms which are comprehensible to the commissioning party, both orally and in writing;
is able to complete an assignment within the stipulated or agreed period.
is able to carry out the activities as an expert independently, impartially, conscientiously, competently, and in a trustworthy manner.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
(...) has sufficient knowledge and experience in the field of expertise to which the application relates.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
Basic requirements:
– a successfully completed medical education and a currently registered medical practitioner;
– current experience with reporting in forensic pathology at the time of the application for registration;
– be familiar with the recent publications and literature in the field of expertise and abreast of state-of-the-art developments;
– thorough knowledge of causes of death, causes and consequences of injuries, changes which occur after death, and the possibilities and limitations of pathological findings to answer medico-legal questions;
– be aware of the possibilities and limitations of answering various questions, such as the survival time and the capacity of the person to act prior to death;
– at least 60 months of relevant postgraduate training. The postgraduate training has to include at least the following elements:
a) clinical pathology (at least 6 months);
b) forensic pathology;
c) forensic-juridical.
Specific requirements:
– personally performed and reported, under collegial review, at least 150 medico-legal or forensic autopsies ¹ in the previous 5 years, second opinions excluded.
– These autopsies should preferably cover the full spectrum of forensic practice, and should at least involve 60 medico-legal or forensic autopsies falling under a) through c):
a) asphyxiation cases (strangulation, choking, mechanical or positional asphyxiation);
b) mechanical injuries cases (shot – or stab wounds, blunt force trauma);
c) specific post mortal changes cases (alleged drowning, decayed bodies, burnt remains);
d) unexplained deaths (intoxications e.g. CO, drug overdose, generalizes diseases e.g. generalized atherosclerosis, sepsis, alleged maltreatment).
In case the applicant is also acting as a supervisor, at least 30 reports on the List of Case Information should be independently prepared reports.
– have spent an average of 40 hours a year over the past 5 years on forensically relevant professional development (e.g. publications, attending conferences, running or attending courses).
¹ The medico-legal or forensic autopsy [is the type of autopsy] which is performed on the instructions of the legal authority responsible for the investigation of sudden, suspicious, obscure, unnatural, litigious or criminal deaths. This legal authority may be a coroner, a medical examiner, a procurator fiscal, a magistrate, a judge, or the police, the systems varying considerably from country to country. Saukko, P. & Knight, B., (2004). Knight’s Forensic Pathology. Hodder Arnold Publishers, 3rd edition, p. 2.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
Basic requirements:
– a successfully completed medical education and a currently registered medical practitioner;
– current experience with reporting in forensic pathology at the time of the application for registration;
– be familiar with the recent publications and literature in the field of expertise and abreast of state-of-the-art developments;
– thorough knowledge of causes of death, causes and consequences of injuries, changes which occur after death, and the possibilities and limitations of pathological findings to answer medico-legal questions;
– be aware of the possibilities and limitations of answering various questions, such as the survival time and the capacity of the person to act prior to death;
– at least 60 months of relevant postgraduate training. The postgraduate training has to include at least the following elements:
a) clinical pathology (at least 6 months);
b) forensic pathology;
c) forensic-juridical.
Specific requirements:
– personally performed and reported, under collegial review, at least 100 medico-legal or forensic autopsies ¹ in the previous 2 years, second opinions excluded. These autopsies should preferably cover the full spectrum of forensic practice, and should at least involve 60 medico-legal or forensic autopsies falling under a) through c):
a) asphyxiation cases (strangulation, choking, mechanical or positional asphyxiation);
b) mechanical injuries cases (shot – or stab wounds, blunt force trauma);
c) specific post mortal changes cases (alleged drowning, decayed bodies, burnt remains);
d) unexplained deaths (intoxications e.g. CO, drug overdose, generalizes diseases e.g. generalized atherosclerosis, sepsis, alleged maltreatment).
– have spent an average of 40 hours a year over the past 2 years on forensically relevant professional development (e.g. publications, attending conferences, running or attending courses).
¹ Ibid.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
Basic requirements:
– a currently registered medical practitioner;
– current experience with reporting in forensic pathology at the time of the application for registration;
– be familiar with the recent publications and literature in the field of expertise and keep abreast of state-of-the-art developments;
– thorough knowledge of causes of death, causes and consequences of injuries, changes which occur after death, and the possibilities and limitations of pathological findings to answer medico-legal questions;
– be aware of the possibilities and limitations of answering various questions, such as the survival time and the capacity of the person to act prior to death.
Specific requirements:
– personally performed and reported, under collegial review, at least 150 medico-legal or forensic autopsies ¹ in the previous 5 years, second opinions excluded. These autopsies should preferably cover the full spectrum of forensic practice, and should at least involve 60 medico-legal or forensic autopsies falling under a) through c):
a) asphyxiation cases (strangulation, choking, mechanical or positional asphyxiation);
b) mechanical injuries cases (shot – or stab wounds, blunt force trauma);
c) specific post mortal changes cases (alleged drowning, decayed bodies, burnt remains);
d) unexplained deaths (intoxications e.g. CO, drug overdose, generalizes diseases e.g. generalized atherosclerosis, sepsis, alleged maltreatment).
In case the applicant is also acting as a supervisor, at least 30 reports on the List of Case Information should be independently prepared reports.
– have spent an average of 40 hours a year over the past 5 years on forensically relevant professional development (e.g. publications, attending conferences, running or attending courses).
¹ Ibid.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
Basic requirements:
– a currently registered medical practitioner;
– current experience with reporting in forensic pathology at the time of the application for registration;
– be familiar with the recent publications and literature in the field of expertise and abreast of state-of-the-art developments;
– thorough knowledge of causes of death, causes and consequences of injuries, changes which occur after death, and the possibilities and limitations of pathological findings to answer medico-legal questions;
– be aware of the possibilities and limitations of answering various questions, such as the survival time and the capacity of the person to act prior to death.
Specific requirements:
– personally performed and reported, under collegial review, an average of 30 medico-legal or forensic autopsies ¹ per year during the registration period, second opinions excluded. These autopsies should preferably cover the full spectrum of forensic practice, and should at least involve 60 medico-legal or forensic autopsies falling under a) through c):
a) asphyxiation cases (strangulation, choking, mechanical or positional asphyxiation);
b) mechanical injuries cases (shot – or stab wounds, blunt force trauma);
c) specific post mortal changes cases (alleged drowning, decayed bodies, burnt remains);
d) unexplained deaths (intoxications e.g. CO, drug overdose, generalizes diseases e.g. generalized atherosclerosis, sepsis, alleged maltreatment).
In case the applicant is also acting as a supervisor, at least 30 reports on the List of Case Information should be independently prepared reports.
– have spent an average of 40 hours per year during the registration period on forensically relevant professional development (e.g. publications, attending conferences, running or attending courses).
¹ Ibid.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
(...) has sufficient knowledge of and experience in the field of law concerned, and is sufficiently familiar with the position and the role of the expert in this field.
In general an applicant should have adequate knowledge of Dutch criminal law:
context of criminal law:
Trias Politica, distinction between civil law, administrative law and criminal law.
criminal law procedure:
pre-trial investigation;
coercive measures;
stages of the proceedings;
actors in the criminal justice system (tasks/powers/responsibilities);
regulations concerning experts laid down in the Dutch Code of Criminal Procedure (position and powers of commissioning party, legal position of expert, position and powers of lawyer, forms of counter-analysis, register of experts in the context of criminal law);
legal decision-making framework of the court in criminal cases (decision-making schedule laid down in Section 350 of the Dutch Criminal Code of Procedure), also with a view to the relevance of the commission to the expert and to the question at issue;
course of the criminal trial;
position of the expert in the court procedure.
substantive criminal law:
sanctions and grounds for exemption from criminal liability (very basic).
knowledge of the legal context of safeguarding the quality of the expert and the analysis/investigation:
position and role of the co-operating organisations in the criminal justice system in safeguarding the quality of the reports;
professional codes and relevant regulations in relation to the NRGD Code of Conduct.
In addition to the above requirements, an applicant for the field of expertise Forensic Pathology:
should have adequate knowledge of principles of evidence in the context of the Dutch criminal law;
should have adequate knowledge of the Wet op de lijkbezorging, the Besluit op de lijkbezorging, Wet toetsing levensbeëindiging op verzoek en hulp bij zelfdoding and the Wet op de orgaandonatie.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
(...) is able to inform the commissioning party whether, and if so, to what extent the commissioning party’s question at issue is sufficiently clear and capable of investigation in order to be able to answer it on the basis of their specific expertise.
An applicant should have:
sufficient basic knowledge of forensic anthropology, forensic neuropathology, forensic toxicology and forensic paediatric pathology to be able to adequately refer the commissioning party when relevant;
sufficient knowledge of the principles of related fields of expertise, including forensic odontology and forensic radiology to be able to adequately refer the commissioning party when relevant.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
(...) is able, on the basis of the question at issue, to prepare and carry out an investigation plan in accordance with the applicable standards.
An applicant should:
be able to determine whether ancillary or additional investigation is needed (at least post-mortem imaging/radiology, toxicology, biochemistry, tissue sampling and gunshot residue examination.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
(...) is able to collect, document, interpret and assess investigative materials and data in a forensic context in accordance with the applicable standards.
An applicant should:
be able to adequately deal with and describe the information presented to him by the police and other experts;
have sufficient basic knowledge of forensic anthropology, forensic neuropathology, forensic toxicology and forensic paediatric pathology to adequately deal with sampling in the chain of investigation;
have sufficient knowledge of the principles of related fields of expertise, including forensic odontology and forensic radiology to adequately deal with sampling in the chain of investigation.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
(...) is able to apply the current investigative methods in a forensic context in accordance with the applicable standards.
An applicant should:
be able to establish the cause and mechanism of death (including trigger and pre-existing pathology);
be able to establish or to help establish the identity of the deceased;
be able to establish or to help establish the nature and cause of any injuries;
be able to establish or to help establish the manner of death;
be able to determine or to evaluate the (methods of) determination of the approximate post-mortem interval;
be aware of fundamental principles of forensic investigations (e.g. crime scene investigation, chain of custody, principles of evidence);
be able to determine the need and the appropriate method of radiological investigation;
be able to conduct a post-mortem examination in all types of forensic cases as mentioned in the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers (1999) Recommendation no. R(99)3 including performing an external examination and appropriate sampling, performing a full internal examination and appropriate sampling, performing an appropriate histopathological examination via microscopic techniques;
have sufficient knowledge of the pros and cons of various scientific methods used in the field, is aware of and able to explain the possibilities and limitations of these methods and follows up on developments thereof.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
(...) is able to give a verifiable and well-reasoned case report on the assignment and any other relevant aspects of their expertise in terms which are comprehensible to the commissioning party, both orally and in writing.
An applicant should:
make a final report including an interpretation of findings within the context of the case (e.g. findings on the crime scene, circumstances of death);
report the involvement of (other) experts;
have sufficient basic knowledge of forensic anthropology, forensic neuropathology, forensic toxicology and forensic paediatric pathology to be able to integrate the findings in a final conclusion;
have sufficient knowledge of the principles of related fields of expertise, including forensic odontology and forensic radiology, to be able to integrate the findings in a final conclusion;
report all particulars of the manner in which the investigative material is collected by or presented to him where relevant for his examination (for instance the collection and preservation of biological samples);
include and distinguish in the final report the following elements:
listing of all documents and sources of information used;
objective findings;
a discussion of the findings;
conclusions.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
(...) is able to complete an assignment within the stipulated or agreed period.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
(...) is able to carry out the activities as an expert independently, impartially, conscientiously, competently, and in a trustworthy manner.
An applicant should:
comply with the NRGD Code of Conduct determined by the Board of Court Experts and published on the website of the NRGD.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
The Board may decide not to apply or deviate from a registration requirement if application of such requirement would produce very unreasonable results. The hardship clause may only offer a solution in certain exceptional situations. It is up to the applicant himself to submit facts and circumstances showing that a certain registration requirement is unreasonable in his specific case.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
De datum van inwerkingtreding ligt voor de datum van uitgifte.
Artikel III
Registration requirements for Forensic Pathology
Onderdeel van Standards Forensic Pathology (007.1)· Procesrecht
Deze tekst geldt sinds 12 december 2016