Science Wins at the Supreme Court

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Today in an per curiam decision, the United States Supreme Court reversed the Virginia Supreme Court and remanded the case to Virginia in light of its recent decision in Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts.  This is good news for the lawyers and defendants everywhere that wish to challenge and/or rely upon scientific evidence in their trials.  It means that the government still has to bring live witnesses to trial to testify and be subject to cross-examination.  It was widely thought that the four dissenters in Melendez-Diaz granted cert on this case in an effort to quickly overturn Melendez-Diaz after Justice Souter retired and was replaced by Justice Sonya Sotomayor.  This decision is a victory for science in the courtroom and for the institution of cross-examination.