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Polygraph Tests:
United States v. Scheffer

Appealed From: U.S. Military Court of Appeals
Subjects: Rules of Evidence; Military Procedure; Admissibility of Polygraphs

Argued: Nov. 3, 1997	Decided: March 31, 1998
Vote: 8-1

At Issue: Whether a military rule of evidence that bars polygraph tests in court-martial proceedings unconstitutionally hampers the respondent's right to defend himself against charges.

Decision: The justices ruled 8-1 to uphold the rule barring the use of polygraph test results in military courts. In the decision, the justices in the majority said that lie-detector tests are not reliable evidence.

• Read the full text of the United States v. Scheffer decision at the Findlaw Internet Legal Resources Web site.

• Listen to the United States v. Scheffer oral argument in RealAudio at the Oyez Oyez Oyez Web site.

Background From The Post • Justices Allow Ban On Polygraph Use (April 1, 1998)
• Justices Voice Concerns About Polygraphs (Nov. 4, 1997)
• High Court to Rule on Trial Viability of Lie Detector Test Evidence (Nov. 2, 1997)
• High Court to Rule on Defendant's Right to Present Polygraph Results as Evidence (May 20, 1997)

Sources: The Washington Post, Supreme Court, The United States Law Week (a Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. publication)

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