The following memorandum opinion on statistical significance was issued by the judge in a trial involving many scientific issues. The opinion has been stripped of some legal jargon and has been taken out of context. Still, it can give us an understanding of how others deal with the problem of ascertaining the meaning of statistical significance. Read this memorandum and comment on the issues raised regarding statistical significance.
Memorandum Opinion
This matter is before the Court upon two evidentiary issues that were raised in anticipation of trial. First, it is essential to determine the appropriate level of statistical significance for the admission of scientific evidence. With respect to statistical significance, no statistical evidence will be admitted during the course of the trial unless it meets a confidence level of 95%. Every relevant study before the court has employed a confidence level of at least 95%. In addition, plaintiffs concede that social scientists routinely utilize a 95% confidence level. Finally, all legal authorities agree that statistical evidence is inadmissable unless it meets the 95% confidence level required by statisticians. Therefore, because plaintiffs advance no reasonable basis to alter the accepted approach of mathematicians to the test of statistical significance, no statistical evidence will be admitted at trial unless it satisfies the 95% confidence level.