Laws of men and laws of nature : the history of scientific expert testimony in England and America

Are scientific expert witnesses partisans or spokesmen for objective science? Golan tells stories of courtroom drama and confusion and media jeering on both sides of the Atlantic, until the start of the 21st century, as the courts still search for ways that will allow them to distinguish between good and bad science.

are Scientific Expert Witnesses Partisans, Or Spokesmen For Objective Science? This Ambiguity Has Troubled The Relations Between Scientists And The Legal System For More Than 200 Years. Modern Expert Testimony First Appeared In The Late Eighteenth Century, And While Its Use Steadily Increased Throughout The Nineteenth Century, In Cases Involving Everything From Patents To X-rays, The Respect Paid To It Steadily Declined, Inside And Outside Of The Courtroom. With Deep Learning And Wry Humor, Tal Golan Tells Stories Of Courtroom Drama And Confusion And Media Jeering On Both Sides Of The Atlantic, Until The Start Of The Twenty-first Century, As The Courts Still Search For Ways That Will Allow Them To Distinguish Between Good And Bad Science.

michigan Law Review

professor Golan Has Produced An Important Work, A Long-overdue Historical Addition To The Scientific Evidence Literature. It Is A Must-read, Not Only For Scientific Evidence Scholars, But Also For Anyone Seeking A Richer Understanding Of The Continuing And Frustrating Conflicts Between Law And Science.

— Edward K. Cheng

Are scientific expert witnesses partisans, or spokesmen for objective science? This ambiguity has troubled the relations between scientists and the legal system for more than 200 years. Modern expert testimony first appeared in the late eighteenth century, and while its use steadily increased throughout the nineteenth century, in cases involving everything from patents to X-rays, the respect paid to it steadily declined, inside and outside of the courtroom. With deep learning and wry humor, Tal Golan tells stories of courtroom drama and confusion and media jeering on both sides of the Atlantic, until the start of the twenty-first century, as the courts still search for ways that will allow them to distinguish between good and bad science.

Oliver Popplewell - Times Higher Education Supplement

This book will be enjoyed not only for its insight into the development of expert evidence but also into the history of industrial relations.

Annotation Are scientific expert witnesses partisans, or spokesmen for objective science? This ambiguity has troubled the relations between scientists and the legal system for more than 200 years. Modern expert testimony first appeared in the late eighteenth century, and while its use steadily increased throughout the nineteenth century, in cases involving everything from patents to X-rays, the respect paid to it steadily declined, inside and outside of the courtroom. With deep learning and wry humor, Tal Golan tells stories of courtroom drama and confusion and media jeering on both sides of the Atlantic, until the start of the twenty-first century, as the courts still search for ways that will allow them to distinguish between good and bad science Tal Golan charts the use of expert testimony in British and American courtrooms from the 18th century to the present day. He assesses the standing of the expert witness, which has in recent years declined amid courtroom drama and media jeering.