Expert Witness & Forensic Investigation
When a case turns on a technical question, it needs a technical answer that holds up.
Forensic investigation is the disciplined work of determining how and why something failed — a structure, a system, a site, or a piece of equipment — and whether it was designed, built, and maintained to the standard a reasonable professional would be expected to meet. An expert witness takes those findings and explains them clearly and credibly to attorneys, adjusters, mediators, judges, and juries.
Johnstone Forensics provides independent forensic investigation and expert witness testimony for attorneys, insurers, and risk professionals across the United States and Canada. We serve plaintiff and defense counsel with equal objectivity. Our opinions are grounded in evidence, defensible methodology, and decades of hands-on professional practice — not theory — so they hold up under cross-examination.
Building on a foundation of more than 320 cases completed by our founder across 34 states, Washington, D.C., and Canada.
What we do on a case:
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Pre-suit evaluation and case-merit analysis
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Site inspection and condition documentation
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Review of plans, specifications, and construction documents
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Standard-of-care and causation analysis
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Foreseeability and reasonable-safety assessment
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Expert reports, exhibits, and courtroom demonstratives
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Rebuttal review of opposing experts
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Deposition and trial testimony
Areas of Expertise
Each area is led by a specialist with deep, hands-on experience in their field. When a case calls for more than one perspective, we coordinate across disciplines — and bring in structural, mechanical, traffic, biomedical, and accident-reconstruction experts as the matter requires.
Golf Course Design & Safety
Led by Michael Johnstone and Bryan Bowers
Errant golf balls, cart-path and rollover incidents, netting and barrier adequacy, and neighboring-property impacts are among the most common — and most contested — recreational-facility claims. This area examines whether a course, driving range, clubhouse, or adjacent development was laid out and maintained to protect players, residents, workers, and passersby, and whether reasonable safety measures were in place. The work covers design and routing analysis, site surveys, safety evaluations, mitigation recommendations, and the exhibits and testimony to support them.
Golf Ball Trajectory Analysis
Led by Ken Tannar
When the central question is where could that ball have come from, and how fast was it traveling, trajectory analysis turns the physics of ball flight into evidence. This area applies validated modeling of launch conditions, carry, and landing behavior to reconstruct errant-ball incidents, determine required netting heights, perform topographic and adjoining-property safety analysis, and quantify the real risk to homes and people near play.
Water Features
Led by Norman Herrmann
Fountains, splash pads, interactive wet decks, reflecting pools, architectural waterfalls, and lake fountains combine structural, hydraulic, mechanical, and electrical systems — and when they fail, the consequences range from costly leaks and property damage to serious injury.
With more than four decades designing, engineering, fabricating, installing, and maintaining water features of every scale, this area analyzes design and construction documents, hydraulic and electrical systems, waterproofing and finishes, and standard of care for designers, contractors, and manufacturers. It addresses causation for leaks, failures, injuries, and property damage across residential, commercial,
civic, and hospitality settings.
Building & Construction
Led by Anthony Smith
Construction defects, unsafe site conditions, and post-disaster repair disputes hinge on whether work met code, specifications, and accepted industry practice. This area covers construction-defect and building-performance analysis with particular depth in fire and flood mitigation and restoration — assessing how damage occurred, whether remediation was performed correctly, and where responsibility lies.