Understanding the Supreme Court’s Decision in Smith v. Arizona and its Application to Forensic Expert Testimony

The Supreme Court’s decision in Smith v. Arizona has had a major impact on subsequent litigation involving the testimony of forensic and laboratory-based experts. This resource, created in conjunction with the RTI International, helps prosecutors better understand the holding issued by the Supreme Court, and breaks down strategies for ensuring successful prosecutions of cold case sexual violence in the wake of that decision.

This project was supported by Grant No. 2019-MU-BX-K011 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.