The Netherlands Register of Court Experts (NRGD)

The Netherlands Register of Court Experts (NRGD) was created in response to the new Experts in Criminal Cases Act. This Act was unanimously adopted on 20 January 2009 by the Upper House of the Dutch parliament and took effect on 1 January 2010. The NRGD has been realised under the auspices of the Ministry of Justice. This took place by means of a number of expert meetings and with a broad working group, including the Public Prosecution Service, the Council for the Judiciary, the Dutch Bar Association, the police, the Netherlands Forensic Institute and the Netherlands Institute for Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology. The draft order in council was also presented for recommendations to the relevant organisations. The NRGD is the first register for court experts with a legal basis, independent position and structural financing. MORE STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS The aim of the Act is dual. On the one hand it is intended to strengthen the position of defence counsel. The Act explicitly grants a suspect the right to request an additional investigation or counter inquiry. On the other hand, the Act signifies a tightening up of the quality, reliability and competence of court experts. The Register of Court Expert in Criminal Cases Decree determines to a high degree how the NRGD is administered.