Docket Number: 97-1709
Appealed From: U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
Subjects: Expert Testimony; "Daubert Test"; 509 U.S. 579 (1993)

At Issue: Regarding the standards for admitting at trial testimony based on an expert's experience and observations.

Decision: The justices ruled that trial judges must ensure that testimony from all experts is relevant and reliable before it reaches a jury, enhancing the power of judges to screen out dubious expert testimony.

• The full text of the Kumho Tire Co. v. Carmichael decision at the FindLaw Internet Legal Resources Web site.

• The full text of the 1997 decision from the 11th Circuit, Carmichael v. Samyang Tire, also is available at FindLaw. The 1993 case that established the "Daubert test," Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals Inc. 509 U.S. 579e, is also on the site.

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