Arboricultural Expert Witness Services
Independent arboricultural opinion and technical evidence for civil disputes, litigation, planning matters and tree-related claims.
Send us a few details and our arboricultural consultants will review the matter and help identify the appropriate expert input, inspection or report. Tom Thompson has completed Bond Solon expert witness training, with work considered against the relevant court or tribunal requirements, including CPR Part 35 where applicable.
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Arboricultural Expert Witness
We at Arbor Cultural are able to undertake specialised expert witness work. Our lead consultant, Tom Thompson, provides technical investigation and testimony covering both aspects of the legal system: Criminal Proceedings and Civil Proceedings.
Professional Bond Solon Training
Our lead consultant, Tom Thompson, has completed the Bond Solon Expert Witness training course, run through Cardiff University in conjunction with the Consulting Arborist Society (CAS). This extensive qualification ensures that we meet the rigorous standards required for modern litigation across the United Kingdom. We operate in full accordance with the Code of Practice for Experts, providing high-integrity reports that assist the court in reaching an objective resolution.
Separate Legal Tracks
It is critical to note that Civil and Criminal elements are completely separate legal tracks. Arbor Cultural Ltd provides specialised technical investigation tailored to the unique procedural requirements of each jurisdiction.
Civil Proceedings
Civil Procedure Rules Part 35 (CPR)
For all civil instructions, we act as Expert Witnesses strictly adhering to Civil Procedure Rules Part 35 (CPR). Our work focuses on dispute resolution and technical clarity for legal firms and insurers.
Examples of Civil Tree Cases:
- Damage to Property: Detailed investigation into structural building damage alleged to be caused by vegetation (Subsidence).
- Injury to People: Professional assessment of tree failures that have resulted in personal injury claims.
- Damage to Trees: Expert appraisal regarding wilful destruction or loss of amenity value.
Criminal Proceedings
Criminal Procedure Rules 2015 Part 19 (CrimPR)
The criminal equivalent to Part 35 is Part 19 (CrimPR). We provide expert testimony for criminal cases involving local authority prosecutions and regulatory enforcement.
Examples of Criminal Tree Cases:
- TPO Offences: Expert technical evidence regarding unauthorised felling or pruning of preserved trees.
- Planning Offences: Investigations into breaches of planning conditions and Conservation Areas.
- Health and Safety Offences: Expert witness work regarding HSE prosecutions and duty of care failures.
Technical Authority & Litigation Standards
At Arbor Cultural Ltd, we understand that an Expert Witness’s primary duty is to the Court. We provide unbiased technical advice within the framework of the law.
Duty to the Court
An expert's overriding duty is to provide independent and objective assistance to the court. Our reports are trial-ready, clear, and defensible under cross-examination.
Technical Investigation
We utilise diagnostic equipment like sonic tomography and root analysis to remove guesswork from litigation, allowing solicitors to proceed with confidence.
Compliance & Methodology
We ensure every report includes necessary declarations and summarizes material facts according to current court rules.
Oral Testimony & Trial
Tom Thompson is available to provide oral testimony, presenting complex concepts to a Judge or Jury with technical precision.
Specialist Practice Areas
- Subsidence Litigation: Causal link between vegetation and building movement.
- Occupiers' Liability: Assessing duty of care fulfillment and foreseeability.
- Planning Inquiry & Appeals: Technical weight at inquiries, defending or contesting TPOs.
- Boundary & High Hedge Disputes: Resolving conflicts using Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 measurements.
Tom Thompson
Lead Consultant & Cardiff University Certified Expert Witness
Arbor Cultural is led by Tom Thompson, a highly qualified arboriculturalist with over 20 years of technical experience. His Bond Solon training through Cardiff University provides the legal literacy needed for court proceedings.
His vetting by the UK Register of Expert Witnesses, NEWA, and CAS provides legal teams with the confidence that their instructions are handled by a verified professional.
Download Professional CVRegional Coverage Index
Surrey
- West Molesey
- Guildford
- Woking
- Weybridge
- Epsom
- Redhill
- Reigate
- Godalming
- Farnham
- Camberley
- Dorking
- Leatherhead
Sussex
- Crawley
- Horsham
- Brighton
- Chichester
- Arundel
- Worthing
- East Grinstead
- Haywards Heath
- Burgess Hill
- Lewes
- Uckfield
Hampshire
- Portsmouth
- Winchester
- Alton
- Basingstoke
- Petersfield
- Fleet
- Southampton
- Fareham
- Havant
- Gosport
- Aldershot
London & Kent
- Richmond
- Kingston
- Bromley
- Sevenoaks
- Maidstone
- Croydon
- Wimbledon
- Tunbridge Wells
- Dartford
- Ashford
- Canterbury
- Rochester
- Tonbridge
