NJ A906

Expert witnesses in medical or dental malpractice cases must be licensed in New Jersey, rather than anywhere in the United States as currently required.

Dentists serving as expert witnesses must now meet the same specialty and experience criteria that currently apply to physicians, including board certification requirements from the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards.

Expert witnesses must have devoted a majority of their professional time in the preceding year to active clinical practice in the relevant specialty or to teaching at accredited medical or dental schools.

Courts may waive specialty and board certification requirements if the moving party demonstrates good faith efforts to find a same-specialty expert and the proposed expert has sufficient training and experience.

The law takes effect 90 days after enactment and applies to all actions filed on or after that date.