Crawford v. Washington

In 1999, Sylvia Crawford accused Kenneth Lee of attempted rape, leading her husband, Michael Crawford, to confront and stab Lee. Michael was charged with assault and attempted murder. During the trial, Sylvia's recorded testimony was used as evidence, despite objections based on the 6th Amendment's confrontation clause. The Washington Court of Appeals overturned Michael's conviction, but the Washington Supreme Court reinstated it. The U.S. Supreme Court later ruled unanimously in favor of Michael, stating that using Sylvia's recorded testimony without cross-examination violated his rights. This decision overturned the precedent set by Ohio v. Roberts, impacting the use of hearsay evidence in court.

What was the Supreme Court's ruling on March 8th, 2004, regarding Michael Crawford's case?

What was Justice Antonin Scalia's opinion regarding out-of-court statements in the context of the 6th Amendment?

How did the Supreme Court's decision in Crawford v. Washington affect the use of hearsay evidence in court?