activities that show a consultant's prior acceptance as expert advisor or instructor go to the government's team. teaching or consulting in a field traditionally is considered when an expert's credentials are presented to the court before the person takes the stand as an expert witness. because of the newness and rapid evolution of computer-related technology, such credentials may hold more weight in a computer-related crime case than academic degrees or publica-tions. a careful check with past users of the prospective experts' service-trainees or clients for whom they have consulted-can be excellent way to assess their reliability and stature, plus the currency and nature of their views before retaining them in a given case.