When a security case lands on your desk, you don’t need guesswork. You need clear, fact-based opinions that hold up in deposition and make sense to a jury.
SSMC supports attorneys across California with security expert witness services in negligent security, premises liability, workplace violence, and security program failure matters. We work remote-first for speed, and we travel when an on-site evaluation is needed.
Request Availability for Your California Case
Contact us for a Free Initial Consultation, CV, Fee Schedule or References by filling out the form below or call or text us at (407) 385-9167.
What a California Security Expert Witness Does
A security expert witness explains what “reasonable security” looks like for the property, the risk, and the conditions that existed before the incident.
That usually comes down to a few practical questions:
- What was the foreseeable risk at this location?
- What security measures were in place, on paper and in real life?
- Was staffing, training, supervision, and response reasonable for the circumstances?
- Did gaps in the security program contribute to what happened?
Our job is to take complex operational details and turn them into clear, defensible opinions that attorneys can use.
California Cases We Commonly Support
Security cases can look very different depending on the environment. We routinely support California matters involving:
Premises liability
- Healthcare and behavioral health incidents where safety planning and response become central issues
- Negligent security/premises liability (commercial properties, multi-family, retail, and more)
- Assaults, robberies, shootings, and violent incidents on property
- Wrongful death lawsuits stemming from preventable violent incidents
- Parking lot and perimeter incidents (lighting, patrol, access control, surveillance basics)
- Hotel & resort security failures (guest safety, staffing, post coverage, response practices)
- Event venue and crowd management incidents
- Warehouses, industrial sites, and transportation hubs with operational security questions
Workplace violence, disputes, and investigations
- Workplace violence matters involving insider threats, access control breakdowns, or missed warning signs
- Wrongful death cases tied to preventable violent incidents and security program failures
- Insurance coverage disputes where the key issue is whether security protocols were followed
- Criminal matters requiring expert analysis of surveillance gaps, response timelines, or guard actions
- Corporate and internal investigations involving duty-of-care failures in sensitive environments (data centers, financial institutions, and similar sites)
Not sure if your matter fits? We are here to help. Security issues don’t always announce themselves clearly at first.
Ask If This Case Is a Fit
A short call can save weeks of uncertainty.Speak with a California Security Expert Witness today or call us at (407) 385-9167.
Our Security Expert Witness Services in California
Our “expert witness” work is organized, methodical, and easy for counsel to use.
1. Early Case Assessment (Fast, Practical, Useful)
We start with a structured intake so you can quickly understand:
- What records matter most
- What questions should be answered first
- Where the case is strong (and where it needs more support)
2. Records Review and Evidence Analysis
Security cases live and die on documentation. We routinely analyze:
- Incident reports and internal communications
- Video systems and footage handling (availability, preservation, gaps)
- Dispatch/radio logs, guard tour logs, and response timelines
- Policies, post orders, and security procedures
- Staffing schedules, duty assignments, and supervision practices
- Training records and corrective actions
- Vendor contracts, scope-of-work language, and performance expectations
- Prior incidents and risk indicators (when relevant and available)
3. Security Program Assessment and Site Evaluation
Sometimes a remote analysis is enough. Sometimes it isn’t.
When needed, we conduct a site evaluation focused on:
- How people actually moved through the space
- Access control and perimeter control realities
- Patrol feasibility and staffing deployment
- Basic surveillance coverage (not just “cameras exist”)
- Operational constraints that affect performance
4. Written Opinions, Reports, and Rebuttals
We prepare clear opinions that are built to be used. That may include:
- Standard-of-care analysis (what was reasonable for this property and risk)
- Security program gaps and operational breakdowns
- Causation discussion framed realistically (what security could and could not change)
- Rebuttal and critique of opposing opinions
5. Deposition and Trial Testimony Support
An expert who can’t communicate under pressure is a problem.
We support counsel with:
- Deposition preparation focused on clarity and consistency
- Trial testimony that explains security in plain language
- Clean exhibits and timelines that make the story easy to follow
How We Build Defensible Opinions for Legal Cases in California
Our approach is consistent:
- Build the timeline (who did what, when, and what was known)
- Separate policy from practice (paper programs vs. real operations)
- Evaluate reasonableness based on risk, environment, staffing, and constraints
- Explain impact in realistic terms, without stretching beyond the evidence
- Document assumptions and identify missing information when it matters
We keep it simple for a reason: simple holds up.
What We Don’t Do
- We don’t speculate.
- We don’t apply “perfect security” standards.
- We don’t force a one-size-fits-all opinion onto every property type.
Why Attorneys in California Choose SSMC
You want an expert who understands security operations and understands what happens in litigation.
Real-World Security Program Experience
SSMC evaluates and develops security programs across complex environments. We understand how staffing, training, budgets, supervision, and real-life operations collide.
Clear Communication That Works Under Cross
We keep the language plain, the method consistent, and the opinions grounded. That makes depositions smoother—and trial testimony easier to follow.
Leadership with Legal Insight
SSMC’s President & Chief Consultant, William S. Marcisz, JD, CPP, CHPA, brings an uncommon combination: advanced security credentials and legal training. That blend helps keep the work product organized, defensible, and aligned with how cases are actually argued.
Working With Us in California
Here’s the process most California matters follow:
- Conflict check and case intake call
- Records request list (we provide it)
- Preliminary findings call (what we see, what we need, what’s next)
- Opinion/report development
- Deposition + trial support as your timeline requires
OUR CLIENTS
Service Area: California
SSMC supports matters throughout California, including the following cities:
- Los Angeles
- San Diego
- the Bay Area
- Orange County
- Sacramento
- San Jose
- Irvine
- Fresno
- Beverly Hills
- Sacramento
- Long Beach
- Bakersfield
- Anaheim
- Riverside
- Stockton
- Santa Ana
- Chula Vista
- Irvine
- Fontana
- Modesto
- Santa Clarita
- Berkeley
- Pasadena
Security Expert Witness in California
As early as possible. Ideally, when you’re first evaluating liability and causation. Early retention helps preserve the right records, identify what is missing, and shape discovery requests. It also gives you time to develop clear themes instead of rushing into opinions right before deposition or trial.
Start with the incident report, available video information, any policies/post orders, staffing schedules for the relevant period, and any security vendor contract documents. If you have dispatch/radio logs or guard tour reports, include those too. If you’re not sure what exists, we can provide a tailored document checklist.
Yes. Many matters can start with remote review for speed, but we do conduct on-site evaluations when the layout, sightlines, access points, or operational realities need direct observation. We’ll advise you early on whether a site visit is likely to add value.
Yes. We regularly review opposing reports and identify where assumptions, methods, or conclusions don’t align with the evidence or operational realities. Rebuttal work is most effective when we also have access to the underlying records and the incident timeline.
Most matters are billed hourly based on the scope of work (records review, report writing, deposition, trial). Larger cases may involve phased budgeting so you can control spend and avoid surprises. We’ll outline scope and expectations up front so you can make clean decisions early.
Yes. We support counsel before deposition and trial with structured prep focused on clarity, consistency, and communication. That includes reviewing key themes, exhibits, timelines, and likely cross-examination angles, so testimony stays grounded and easy to follow.
