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DNA - A Prosecutor’s Practice Notebook Inventory

The Admissibility of Scientific Evidence

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National Institute of Justice (NIJ) (see reuse policy).

Absent a specific admissibility statute, the admissibility of scientific evidence is governed by either the Frye (see next page) (Frye v. United States, 293 F. 1013; 54 App. D.C. 46; 34 A.L.R.145 (D.C. 1923) or Daubert (see page after next) (Daubert v. Merrill Dow Pharmaceutical Inc., 509 U.S. 579; 113 S. Ct. 2786; 125 L. Ed. 2d 469 (1993)) standards. It is the role of the judge to act as the "gatekeeper" and apply the appropriate standard used in their jurisdiction.  In all cases, prosecutors should be thoroughly familiar with the controlling standards applied by the court.

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