Designed to introduce law students, law teachers, practitioners, and
judges to the basic ideas of mathematical probability and statistics as
they have been applied in the law, the book consists of sections of
exposition followed by real-world cases and case studies in which
stastical data have played a role. Readers are asked to apply the theory
to the facts, to calculate results (a pocket calculator is sufficient),
and to explore legal issues raised by quantitative findings, while the
author's own calculations and comments are given in the back of the
book. The cases and case studies reflect a broad variety of legal
subjects, including antidiscrimination, mass torts, taxation, school
finance, identification evidence, preventive detention, handwriting
disputes, voting, environmental protection, antitrust, and the death
penalty. The first edition has been used in law, statistics, and social
science courses, and in 1991 was selected by the University of Michigan
Law Review as one of the important law books of the year. This second
edition includes many new problems reflecting current developments in
the law, including a new chapter on epidemiology.