" Attorneys Near Me Legal ResourcesCurrent page is within this section Lead Counsel Verified Enter information in at least one field (required) Legal IssueUse up and down arrow keys to navigate. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. and / or LocationUse up and down arrow keys to navigate. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. Criminal Defense Law Home Legal Resources Criminal Defense Are Lie Detector Tests Admissible in Court? Are Lie Detector Tests Admissible in Court?By Christina Majaski | Reviewed by Gary Almeter, Esq. Last updated December 14, 2023 Listen to this article 6 min Key Takeaways:Less than half of U.S. states allow the use of polygraph tests as evidence in criminal trials. In states that allow polygraph tests, the defense can use testimony and evidence to question the test’s results. Never agree to take a lie detector test with the police without first talking to a criminal defense attorney. Are Lie Detectors Accurate? What States Allow Polygraph Tests in Court? The Argument for Lie Detector Admissibility How a Lie Detector Test Works Should You Take a Polygraph Test? Talk to a Criminal Defense Lawyer Today One of the greatest challenges for judges, juries, and law enforcement officers is determining who is telling the truth. This makes witness believability vitally important at a trial. While witnesses must promise to tell the truth before taking the stand, judges and juries often hear conflicting testimony that indicates someone is lying. So, a lie detector test could theoretically help the jury determine the truth, but only if the test is reliable and can be used as evidence in court. It turns out that neither is true. If you are under criminal investigation for potential criminal charges and are being pressured to take a lie detector test or you’ve already taken a test and are worried about it being used against you, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney to help you. Your attorney will be able to protect your rights and options for building a strong defense. Are Lie Detectors Accurate?In short: Lie detector tests have questionable reliability and are generally not admissible as evidence in court. They can be used in some investigations and for decision-making when applying to some federal employment positions. It might seem like the technology of the lie detector test, also known as the polygraph test, could take the guesswork out of determining who is lying and who is telling the truth. That’s how many television crime dramas made them look. But the accuracy of lie detector test results can vary depending on the person administering the test, the machine used, and the person taking the test. As such, polygraph results are generally not admissible in criminal cases unless both parties agree to it. Even then, some states do not allow polygraph tests to be used as evidence, and often a trial judge has discretion to allow (or not) a polygraph exam. Those who are opposed to allowing the results of lie detector tests to be used in a court of law argue that jurors might accept the test results without considering the test’s accuracy or the threat of false positives. Jurisdictions that allow the results of lie detector tests in court also allow each party to present evidence as to why the test is or is not reliable. Polygraph test results indicate physiological changes like the test taker’s heart rate differences using control questions like “What is your name?” and then more probing questions which would indicate alleged guilt or innocence. What States Allow Polygraph Tests in Court?The U.S. Supreme Court leaves the question of the admissibility of lie detector test evidence up to individual states. Other states do not allow any lie detector evidence. The criminal justice systems of states that may allow the results of a polygraph test as evidence in a criminal case include: Alabama Arizona* Arkansas California* Delaware Florida* Georgia* Idaho Indiana Iowa Kansas Nevada* New Jersey New Mexico North Dakota Ohio Utah Washington Wyoming States with an asterisk (*) allow lie-detector evidence in certain proceedings or only when both parties agree to its admissibility. In states where they are admissible, you could have expert testimony on your behalf about the unreliability of the test’s results." www.lawinfo.com/resources/criminal-defense/are-lie-detector-tests-admissible-in-court.html#what_states_allow_polygraph_tests_in_court The same info is available elsewhere. Then there are the rules for military courts, different parts of the judicial process and on and on and on. There are certainly places that don't allow the introduction of the actual printed test results with notations, but do allow the examiner to testify about their opinion of what happened in the little room.