Statistics for Lawyers (Statistics for Social and Behavioral Sciences)

Statistics for Lawyers is 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 statistical data have played a role. The reader is asked to apply the theory to the facts, to calculate results (a hand calculator is sufficient), and to explore legal issues raised by quantitative findings. The authors' 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 of Statistics for Lawyers, which appeared in 1990, has been used in law, statistics, and social science courses. In 1991 it 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. Michael O. Finkelstein is a practicing lawyer in New York City. He has been a member of the adjunct faculty of Columbia University Law School since 1967, teaching Statistics for Lawyers, and has also taught at Harvard, New York University, and Yale Law Schools. He is the author of a book of essays, Quantitative Methods in Law, and numerous law review articles on the applications of statistics in law. He frequently consults and testifies in litigated matters. Bruce Levin is a professor at the Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University in the Division of Biostatistics. He is the Consulting Editor for Statistics for the American Journal of Public Health, participates in clinical trials, and is the author of numerous articles on the subject of biostatistics. He has consulted and testified as an expert in many law cases involving statistical issues. Booknews Presents the science of statistics as applied to legal problems. A series of cases demonstrate a variety of statistical tools that range from simple averaging for estimating thefts from parking meters to complex logistic regression models for demonstrating discrimination in the death penalty. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Publisher description: Statistics for Lawyers is 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. The reader is asked to apply the theory to the facts, to calculate results (a hand calculator is sufficient), and to explore legal issues raised by quantitative findings. The authors' 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 of Statistics for Lawyers, which appeared in 1990, has been used in law, statistics, and social science courses. In 1991 it 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. Michael O. Finkelstein is a practicing lawyer in New York City. He has been a member of the adjunct faculty of Columbia University Law School since 1967, teaching Statistics for Lawyers, and has also taught at Harvard, New York University, and Yale Law Schools. He is the author of a book of essays, Quantitative Methods in Law, and numerous law review articles on the applications of statistics in law. He frequently consults and testifies in litigated matters. Bruce Levin is a professor at the Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University in the Division of Biostatistics. He is the Consulting Editor for Statistics for the American Journal of Public Health, participates in clinical trials, and is the author of numerous articles on the subject of biostatistics. He has consulted and testified as an expert in many law cases involving statistical issues 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. Designed to introduce the basics of mathematical probability and statistics useful to law students and practitioners, this second edition includes many new problems reflecting current developments in the law, and has been rewritten at a more elementary level. The book includes real-world case studies where statistical data has played a role.