Smith v. Arizona: Expert Basis Testimony and Confrontation Clause

This episode comprises the Syllabus and Opinions from the Supreme Court case of SMITH v. ARIZONA, decided on June 21, 2024. The case addresses whether an expert witness testifying about forensic evidence violates the Sixth Amendment's Confrontation Clause when they convey statements made by an absent analyst as the basis for their own opinion. The Court held that such statements come into evidence for their truth if their support for the expert's opinion relies on their accuracy, and that admitting these statements without providing an opportunity to confront the original analyst violates the Confrontation Clause if the statements are testimonial. While the Court rejected the state court's reasoning, it remanded the case for the lower court to determine if the analyst's original statements were indeed testimonial.