Looking back on 25 eventful years as a forensic expert, I reflect with a half-smile on the many challenging cases that have kept me up day and night. However, as of January 1, 2025, with a few exceptions, I will no longer accept new expert reports from the German judiciary. This decision has not been easy, but it finally opens up the space I desperately need for my research, my family, and the completion of my specialist book on person identification.