Essays on Science in Court: An Analysis of Climate Change Litigation in the US from 1990 to 2018

• In Event: How Has Climate Change Reshaped Scientific Expertise and the Expert? - I

Abstract

The paper consists of three essays that collectively evaluate how science is used in climate change litigation in the United States from 1990 to 2018. Using mixed methods approach with a sample of approximately 350 lawsuits that discuss scientific information in the field of climate change in their documentation, I plan to evaluate 1) the different types of scientific evidence in these lawsuits and their influence on the judicial decisions, 2) the demand and supply of scientific information in and around courtrooms, and 3) the framing of scientific uncertainty in legal disputes. The result of this project can potentially transform our understanding of how science and scientific expertise are introduced, discussed, framed, and used in the judicial branch and, more broadly, in the field of government policymaking.

Author

• Daniel Kim, The George Washington University