Meeting Daubert Standards for Data Admissibility is a Key Component of Reliable DataEnsuring Reliable Data
Oral Presentation
Prepared by J. Parr1, S. Arms2
1 - The NELAC Institute, 210 S Lamar St., 76086, Weatherford, TX, 76086, United States
2 - Florida DOH (Retired), , , United States
Contact Information: [email protected]; 817-308-0449
ABSTRACT
How laboratory data is viewed in the courts is often a function of the skill of the opposing attorneys, the credibility of the witnesses, and the opinion of the jury. In the court's opinion, what is important is not the “defensibility” of data, but its admissibility. In 1993, in Daubert vs Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, the US Supreme Court established foundational principles that relate to the admissibility of scientific evidence:
• Whether a theory or technique can be (and has been) tested,
• Whether it has been subjected to peer review and publication,
• Whether there is a high known or potential rate of error,
• Whether there are professional standards controlling the technique’s operation, and
• Whether the technique has been accepted within the scientific community.
These principles have been upheld in 2 other Supreme Court decisions. This presentation will review the Daubert principles and how they relate to ensuring reliable data.
