how many current, relevant training courses and continuing education courses has the prospective technical expert attended? how up to date is he on the state of the art in this technical field? a showing of such currency is generally a corollary to the presentation of academic credentials to the court when an expert witness's qualifications are reviewed. the absence of such current educational updates would not only have a strong effect on the quality of the expert advice given to the government, but it can lead to the govern-ment 's expert witness being impeached on cross-examination and the technical accuracy of aspects of the government's case being challenged.