Replication Data for: CSI (Courts, Science, and Information): How Judicial Opinions Use Forensic Science and How it Impacts the Prosecution

In this article, we marshal an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how judges use expert-produced scientific information from the forensic science field in their written opinions in criminal cases. We argue judges turn to this expert information to guide decision making since they are not trained in forensic science, yet this information is often critical to resolving criminal cases. We find that judges use authoritative language when referencing national forensic reports benefiting the defense but the relationship between references benefiting the prosecution and judges’ use of authoritative language is less straightforward. The findings provide insight into the way judges interact with expert information.