The Supreme Court of Georgia recently clarified the qualifications required for expert witnesses in medical malpractice cases.

The case originated in DeKalb Superior Court, where the trial judge dismissed a lawsuit after ruling that the expert witness did not meet the requirements of O.C.G.A. § 9-11-9.1(a). The Court of Appeals upheld that decision, but the Georgia Supreme Court found procedural errors and returned the case to the lower court for reconsideration.