Torts I

Daubert Test


The Daubert Test establishes the judge as the "gatekeeper" of expert testimony.

In determining the validity of expert testimony, the court must evaluate a two-prong test:

  1. Reliability prong

    • Determine whether the expert testimony reflects "scientific knowledge," whether it is "derived by the scientific method," and whether the work amounts to "good science."
  2. Relevance prong

    • Also known as the "fit" requirement
    • The proposed expert testimony must be "relevant to the task at hand" by advancing a material aspect of the proposing party's case.