Define: Frye Standard

The Frye Standard is a legal rule that determines the admissibility of scientific evidence in court. It states that scientific evidence must be generally accepted by the relevant scientific community in order to be admissible.

The Frye Standard was established in 1923 by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in the case of Frye v. United States.

The purpose of the Frye Standard is to ensure that only reliable and scientifically accepted evidence is presented in court, preventing the admission of pseudoscience or unreliable scientific theories.

While the Frye Standard was widely used for many years, it has been replaced by the Daubert Standard in federal courts and by various other standards in different states. However, some states still adhere to the Frye Standard.

The main difference between the Frye Standard and the Daubert Standard is the criteria for admissibility of scientific evidence. The Frye Standard focuses on general acceptance within the scientific community, while the Daubert Standard emphasizes the reliability and relevance of the evidence.

Under the Frye Standard, expert witnesses must demonstrate that their scientific theories or methodologies are generally accepted by the relevant scientific community in order for their testimony to be admissible.

Yes, the Frye Standard can be used in civil cases as well as criminal cases. It applies to any situation where scientific evidence is being presented.

Yes, one criticism of the Frye Standard is that it can be overly restrictive and may exclude valid scientific evidence that has not yet gained widespread acceptance. Additionally, it does not consider the individual judge’s role in determining the admissibility of evidence.

If scientific evidence does not meet the Frye Standard, it may be deemed inadmissible by the court, meaning it cannot be presented to the jury or considered as part of the case.

Yes, the Frye Standard can be challenged in court. Parties can argue for the adoption of a different standard or present evidence to challenge the general acceptance of the scientific evidence in question.