Difference between Legal Evaluation and Private Evaluation

Legal Evaluation

  1. Definition: Legal evaluation refers to the expert opinions or assessments used in courts or legal procedures. This includes evaluations requested by judges, lawyers, or public agencies.
  2. Purpose: It is used as evidence in legal proceedings and plays an important role in influencing court decisions.
  3. Process: It is conducted based on strict legal procedures, and evaluators are required to maintain neutrality and objectivity. The evaluation results are submitted as formal reports.
  4. Reliability: Since the results are used as evidence in court, they require high reliability and accuracy. Additionally, evaluators may also testify in court.

Private Evaluation

  1. Definition: Private evaluation refers to expert opinions or assessments commissioned by individuals or businesses. It is conducted with the aim of resolving specific issues or disputes.
  2. Purpose: It is often used for decision-making or problem-solving outside of legal proceedings. Examples include financial analysis for companies or property valuations.
  3. Process: Since it is conducted according to the client’s requests or objectives, it may not be as strict as legal procedures. However, high expertise and objectivity are required to gain the client’s trust.
  4. Reliability: While the results are important for supporting the client’s decision-making and require reliability and accuracy, they do not necessarily need the same level of rigor as in legal procedures.

Main Differences

  • Purpose and Usage: Legal evaluations are conducted for courts or legal procedures, while private evaluations are done for internal use by individuals or businesses.
  • Process Rigor: Legal evaluations are carried out strictly based on legal procedures, whereas private evaluations can be more flexible according to the client’s requests.
  • Reliability Standards: Legal evaluations require high reliability, while private evaluations need to meet the reliability standards suited to the client’s needs.

Thus, legal and private evaluations differ in their purpose, process, and reliability standards, making it important to choose the appropriate type based on the situation.

Supervisor of the article


Dr. Hiroshi Oka

Director of CAP Laboratory

Graduated from Keio University, Faculty of Medicine

Doctor of Medicine

Medical Doctor