Arizona expert witness: experts for Arizona state and federal courts.
Expert Witness Networks places board-certified physicians, licensed specialists and technical experts on Arizona cases for record review, written opinions, deposition and trial testimony. Serving Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Chandler and Gilbert and every county statewide.
How Arizona courts treat expert testimony
The rules every expert must meet in Arizona, medical or not.
Daubert
Ariz. R. Evid. 702 was amended effective January 1, 2012 to track Federal Rule 702, replacing Arizona’s earlier Frye test with Daubert-style gatekeeping. The Arizona Supreme Court applied the amended rule in State v. Bernstein, 237 Ariz. 226 (2015).
The trial court of general jurisdiction is the superior court in each county. Appeals go to the Arizona Court of Appeals (Division One in Phoenix, Division Two in Tucson), and the highest court is the Arizona Supreme Court.
- U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
Arizona medical expert requirements
What a medical expert must satisfy before testifying in a Arizona malpractice case.
Who qualifies as a medical expert
A.R.S. § 12-2604 requires the expert to have practiced the same specialty as the defendant at the time of the occurrence, and be board certified in it if the defendant is, and to have spent a majority of professional time in the year before the occurrence in clinical practice or accredited teaching in that specialty. Both requirements are strictly enforced (Baker v. University Physicians Healthcare (2013)). Contingent expert fees are barred.
Certificate, affidavit or presuit requirement
A written certification of whether expert testimony is needed must be filed with the complaint. If it is needed, a preliminary expert opinion affidavit must be served with the Rule 26.1 initial disclosures, or the claim is dismissed without prejudice (A.R.S. § 12-2603).
Out-of-state experts
Out-of-state licenses are accepted: § 12-2604(A) requires a health professional license in Arizona or another state. There is no Arizona registration or fee.
Statute of limitations
Two years from accrual, with a discovery rule (A.R.S. § 12-542). The period is tolled during minority (§ 12-502).
Damage caps
Arizona has no damage cap. Ariz. Const. art. 2, § 31 forbids any law limiting damages for death or personal injury.
Case & Record Review
Thorough review of records, imaging, reports and evidence.
Written Opinions
Clear, defensible expert reports and affidavits.
Deposition Testimony
Prepared, credible testimony under examination.
Trial Testimony
Plain-language explanation for judge and jury.
Defense and prosecution experts in Arizona
Under A.R.S. § 13-4013(B), for anyone charged with a felony, the court must appoint the investigators and expert witnesses reasonably necessary to present a defense when the defendant shows inability to pay. The statute covers capital and non-capital felonies.
We place experts in homicide, abusive head trauma (shaken baby), child abuse and non-accidental trauma, competency and criminal responsibility, and vehicular cases.
Experts we place on Arizona cases
A sample of our roster. Beyond medicine we also place engineers, architects, geologists, meteorologists, questioned-document examiners, DNA specialists and attorney experts.
Questions attorneys ask about Arizona experts
Is Arizona a Daubert state?
Yes. Ariz. R. Evid. 702 has tracked the federal Daubert-based rule since January 1, 2012 (applied in State v. Bernstein, 2015).
Does a medical expert in Arizona have to match the defendant’s specialty?
Yes. Under A.R.S. § 12-2604, the expert must share the defendant’s specialty, be board certified in it if the defendant is, and have spent a majority of professional time in it during the year before the occurrence.
What is a preliminary expert opinion affidavit in Arizona?
An affidavit served with the initial disclosures under A.R.S. § 12-2603, setting out the expert’s qualifications, the standard of care, the breach and causation. If it is not served, the claim is dismissed without prejudice.
Can indigent Arizona defendants get a court-paid expert?
Yes. A.R.S. § 13-4013(B) requires the court to appoint reasonably necessary investigators and experts for any felony defendant who shows inability to pay.
Can Expert Witness Networks provide an expert for a Arizona case?
Yes. Our experts travel and testify in Arizona state and federal courts for plaintiff and defense counsel, prosecutors, pro se parties and private individuals. You receive the expert’s CV and fee schedule before anything proceeds.
Sources
This page summarizes Arizona law for general information as of 2026 and is not legal advice. Statutes and case law change; confirm current requirements for your matter.
Tell us what your case requires.
Call or write with the specialty, the issues in dispute and your deadline. We will find the right fit.
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