ABSTRACT
The branch of medicine that deals with the study of the causes, distribution, and control of disease in populations is
epidemiology
. Epidemiologists study populations at risk and attempt to gather large numbers of subjects in their studies in order to keep their resultant findings relevant and statistically valid. When large, statistically significant numbers of study participants are not available or incorporated, the study is often considered flawed or is not an accurate reflection of a cause-and-effect relationship. In many cases that come before the courts, this level of absolute significance does not apply or has little bearing on the outcome of a trial. As seen in numerous television reenactments, the standard for proof in a criminal matter is that it be “beyond resonable doubt.” The trial court in noncriminal (i.e., civil) cases uses a
preponderance of evidence
standard. This standard only demands that the subject condition is “more likely than not”—that is, that there is at least a 51 percent probability.
