Law
Evidentiary Standards for Admitting Computer-Generated Evidence in Criminal Trials
Quick fact
In many jurisdictions, computer-generated evidence is not automatically reliable; the party offering it must prove the computer was functioning properly and the data input was accurate, a requirement that has been applied even to DNA analysis software.
Why this is interesting
When a computer generates a report used to convict someone, how does a court decide whether to trust it? The rules are not always obvious, and they have evolved with technology.