Abstract
This is a case law overview of a successful challenge to the admissibility of fingerprint evidence in Federal court. The author discusses the impact and the legal reasoning underlying the decision in United States v. Plaza, on the use of fingerprint evidence. The court later reversed its finding in Plaza I and accepted fingerprint evidence in Plaza II. The author briefly discusses the case law that impacts the acceptability of scientific evidence like fingerprints and also the case law that requires the use of expert testimony as a basis for the admission of scientific evidence, the Daubert-Kumho reliability test. The roles of scientific testing, peer review of the methodology used in the development of the evidence, and the governing standards of the scientific community as used in the Daubert-Kumho test are discussed. The author closes with a listing of reference materials that explore the potential limitations of fingerprint evidence.
