INTERNET (Fall 97 issue)

By Captain Kirk Greiner

One might say that we have become enamored with the Internet, and I guess that is true. You will hear more about it in each issue of the EXPERT because we think it is a quick and inexpensive way to communicate. Further, there is more information than you can ever use.

In MAC’s homepage, we try to make finding information needed by both attorney and expert an interesting experience.

Our search engine is up and running now and allows searches of the old newsletters as well as the curriculum vitaes of experts. The user must understand how to use these engines or the results will not be helpful. For instance, if you are looking for an aviation test pilot and you enter the words "test pilot" the results will include every marine pilot because the search identifies any document that contains either of the words. To do it correctly, you would enter, "test and pilot". The results would be all documents that contain both words. Read the instructions and look at the examples. They are quite clear and easy to understand. The search engine works excellently in finding experts rapidly. You can read the entire CV and if you want to contact the expert, you simply call MAC, give them the MAC # in the upper left of the document and they will provide you with the name and phone number of the expert. You will be charged $75 for the referral.

Searching newsletters is a little more difficult because each newsletter is a single document. The search will take you to the top of the newsletter that contains the search words. It does not highlight the key words or take you directly to the article. However, each newsletter has its own table of contents at the top so you can see the articles contained in the newsletter to which you have been directed and click on the article in which you are interested.

While there is a link to take you back to the top page of the section, don’t forget that the "back" button will step you backward through the prior pages you have visited.

Another way to locate an article is to use the index. In some cases this may be a simpler way to get to an article. It links you directly with the article and so you don’t find yourself at the top of the newsletter and have to locate the article through another step.

You will find links to many maritime and aviation pages that contain information which you may not be able to acquire except through long and tedious research. Take for instance the links to the Coast Guard. From our homepage you can directly access the Marine Safety Manual, the Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circulars or the decisions of the Administrative Law Judges.

While attorneys have better access to the law and regulations, experts may not. The USC, CFR and Rules of Civil Procedure are but a click away. Look on the Legal Links page. The Rules of Civil Procedure govern expert witnesses in civil procedings. Too often I have been excluded from a court room with factual witnesses when the rule clearly allow the expert to remain while factual witnesses are testifying. Experts as well as lawyers should know these rules.

If you find a link which you feel would be advantageous to our users, send us an e-mail with the site's address.

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