U.S. federal courts
Orthopedic surgery expert witness rates, set by federal courts
Most of what federal courts say about orthopedic surgeons' fees, they say in deposition-fee disputes: 17 of this band's 20 determinations are deposition rulings. If you are setting a deposition fee, or defending one that opposing counsel calls unreasonable, these orders are what gets cited back — so start from them.
Court-determined hourly rates
| 25th percentile | $400 |
| Median | $500 |
| 75th percentile | $825 |
Rates experts disclosed in filings — not court determinations
| 25th percentile | $900 |
| Median | $1,125 |
| 75th percentile | $1,312.50 |
Since 2015: median $500/hr over 10 values (9 named experts, 1 unnamed), drawn from 11 rate determinations.
From the record
Three of the determinations behind this band, described the way the exhibit cites them — the exhibit itself names the experts, quotes the orders, and links each one to the public court document it came from:
- orthopedic surgery · S.D.N.Y. · Nov. 2025 · $500/hr · court set (two determinations)
- orthopedic surgery · D. Colo. · Nov. 2022 · $1,500/hr · court set
The band above is free and stays free. The exhibit is the version you hand to counsel: your rate placed among the band's 19 values — one per named expert, plus the values from unnamed-expert determinations — with the percentile stated, the qualifying orders quoted and cited, and every citation linked to the public court document it came from. Prepared for your rate and setting, delivered to your inbox in minutes.
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