Buyer is summons me to testify against the builder. I completed a home inspector for the buyers 2 yrs ago on a new house and now she’s suing the builder. How much is the going rate on testifying about my report ?
“I completed a home inspector for the buyers 2 yrs ago on a new house”
Expert witness or witness of fact?
Reach out to your insurer.
Inspectors as Expert Witnesses.
More to it than this.
The client is typically required to pay an initial retainer, which might be $1,200.00 or more, depending on the amount of time the expert witness estimates the work will take.
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SEEK out training from SEEK.
Get paid IN ADVANCE of the hearing, win or loose.
I’m assuming a fact witness
Did you receive a summons or a subpoena? That can play a difference regarding if you can charge any fees.
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Fact witness = Yes, I was there that day and that is my report
ANYTHING else is expert witness and you can negotiate your fees ahead of time. Fwiw, fact witness is required to appear when summoned and you get some laughable amount of money. Just don’t get dragged into anything else without getting paid.
I’ve been down this road numerous times. Reach out to the attorneys. Letting them know that you know how the game is played and that they cant take advantage of you goes miles. I’ve been in your situation dozens of times and, after calling the attorneys, have never walked into a courtroom. They just try to screw you into giving them something for nothing… I know hard to believe a lawyer would do such a thing 
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Thank you great information
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I received a summons
Subpoena said appear to testify about and to produce all communications of any kind in respect to my inspection report. Buyers vs Builder. I called the lawyer on the subpoena and he said he is working for the builder being sued.
did you get a summons or a subpoena? they are not the same thing.
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Zero dollars, if you have been subpoenaed to testify. If you contract with either side to act as an expert witness, you may charge a fee for your report and analysis which would include your testimony pertaining to it; however, when you are appearing as a witness, it’s a different story. Witnesses cannot be paid for their testimony.
Imagine having someone on the stand presenting eyewitness testimony against you who you discovered was being paid to say it.
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Back in Oregon I’d always get a small check with the paperwork… I think it was for mileage to travel to court or something like that. Not sure if that’s a state-by-state thing or just what.
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OK big difference. No pay then.
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When you are subpoenaed, you are a witness for the court. The court will have a set amount for mileage and sometimes a daily stipend of $12 or something on that order. A subpoenaed witness cannot take money from either side for their testimony.
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I suggest that you try and get her to pay you as an expert instead.
Which can get you in a whole lot more trouble when the builder, who has deeper pockets than you, sues you. Then you will get a SUMMONS!