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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>56378</law_id><section_number>8.01-401.3</section_number><catch_line>Opinion testimony and conclusions as to facts critical to civil case resolution (Supreme Court Rule 2:701 derived from subsection B of this section, subdivision (a)(i) of Supreme Court Rule 2:702 derived from subsection A of this section, and subsection (a) of Supreme Court Rule 2:704 derived from subsections B and C of this section)</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="8.01">Civil Remedies and Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="14">Evidence</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="4">Witnesses Generally</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> In a civil proceeding, if scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge will assist the trier of <span class="dictionary">fact</span> to understand the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> or to determine a <span class="dictionary">fact</span> in <span class="dictionary">issue</span>, a <span class="dictionary">witness</span> qualified as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education may testify thereto in the form of an <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> or otherwise. <a id="paragraph-206427" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-401.3/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> No expert or lay <span class="dictionary">witness</span> while testifying in a civil proceeding shall be prohibited from expressing an otherwise <span class="dictionary">admissible</span> <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> or conclusion as to any matter of <span class="dictionary">fact</span> solely because that <span class="dictionary">fact</span> is the ultimate <span class="dictionary">issue</span> or critical to the resolution of the case. However, in no event shall such <span class="dictionary">witness</span> be permitted to express any <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> which constitutes a conclusion of <span class="dictionary">law</span>. <a id="paragraph-206428" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-401.3/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Except as provided by the provisions of this section, the exceptions to the &#x201C;ultimate <span class="dictionary">fact</span> in <span class="dictionary">issue</span>&#x201D; rule recognized in the Commonwealth prior to enactment of this section shall remain in full force. <a id="paragraph-206429" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-401.3/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1993, c. 909.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
