The lies have it: judges maintain that perjury is on the rise, but the court system may not have enough resources to stem the tide

Article Abstract:

A trend making perjury more common and serious worries many attorneys and judges who nevertheless say there is little they can do. Despite anecdotal and observational evidence of increasing perjury, only about 100 cases per year have been prosecuted nationwide since 1980. District attorneys say the problem is a low priority given an already full caseload. Those who decry the trend blame an adversarial court system, the rarity of penalties, and harsher sentencing guidelines as incentives favoring perjury.

Analysis, Ethical aspects, Perjury, Judicial process

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Plaintiffs' lawyers rap evidence manual; some judges counter that guide will help them understand scientific issues

Article Abstract:

The Assn of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA) has critized the chapter on expert evidence in the recently published Federal Judicial Center manual for being pro-defense and the manual as a whole for being full of mistakes. The chapter in question, written by Brooklyn Law School Professor Margaret A. Berger, discusses the US Supreme Court's ruling in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The Daubert ruling set aside the Frye standard and gave judges more discretion in admitting expert evidence.

Publishing industry, Management, Federal courts, Evidence, Expert, Expert evidence, Evidence, Scientific, Scientific evidence (Law), United States. Federal Judicial Center

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Ten commandments rulings; two judges issue compromise decisions on courthouse displays

Article Abstract:

Judges in both Georgia and Florida have ruled that the Ten Commandments are a religious document whose display in a courthouse violates the First Amendment separation of church and state. Neither judge ordered the decalogue removed. In one case it was covered up and in the other the trial was moved.

Cases, Church and state

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