Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (1993) was a landmark Supreme Court case that established criteria for courts to determine the admissibility of expert scientific evidence. The case involved a lawsuit alleging a birth defect caused by a drug, and the Court ruled that judges must act as "gatekeepers" to examine whether expert evidence is based on reliable and valid scientific methods. The decision set standards for evaluating scientific testimony, emphasizing peer review, scientific methodology, and potential error rates, to ensure that only credible expert evidence is presented in court.