The evidence nature and the corresponding rules of judicial review of extra-judicial expert identifications deserve more attention. Only those with fact-finding function can be regarded as extra-judicial expert identifications in the sense of evidence law, which could further be classified in different types of evidence. Considering the neutrality of expert identifications and mandatory requirement of evidence collection proceedings with the right of objection as its core, extra-judicial expert identifications should in principle not be regarded as judicial expert identifications. An extra-judicial expert identification could constitute the particulars of the case presented by the parties as factual allegations, but could not be regarded as the parties' presentation as evidence. Nevertheless, the court should safeguard the parties' right to be heard by presenting such particulars that have the function of denying the necessity of judicial expert identification or challenging judicial expert identification. Merely based on the principle of contractualisation within civil litigation, an extra-judicial expert identification could exceptionally be transformed into judicial expert identification based on the consensus of the parties. The parties are also free to agree that the conclusion of an extra-judicial expert identification mutually designated by both parties could be used as the basis for fact-finding. Based on the adjustment of the facts to be proved, an extra-judicial expert identification can also be used as documentary evidence that has the function of reporting the facts. In this regard, the facts to be proved are the opinions that the expert gives regarding the to-be-proven factual allegations, rather than the objective facts of the case themselves. Although judicial expert identification in continental legal systems differs from the expert witness in common law systems, an extra-judicial expert identification could constitute special expert witness, who can prove the facts that he has observed and perceived by himself during the process of preparing his professional identification. |