Maryland Adopts 30-Year Old Federal Expert Evidence Standard

Maryland narrowly adopted a federal standard to determine when a jury can hear expert testimony based on scientific evidence, set by the U.S. Supreme Court nearly 30 years ago, the state’s top court said.

The state joins the “supermajority” of states that have adopted the test set out in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals Inc., which requires federal courts to consider a list of flexible factors when determining the admissibility of scientific evidence under the Federal Rules of Evidence, the Maryland Court of Appeals said Aug. 28 in a 4-3 opinion.

The ruling will affect a variety of civil ...