--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There has never been a Supreme Court…" description: "\"“There has never been a Supreme Court ruling on the admissibility of polygraph evidence in federal court.”\" — Paul Ekman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/paul-ekman-11999_polygraph_there-has-never-been-a-supreme-court-rul_195703.jpg" --- # There has never been a Supreme Court ruling on the… ![“There has never been a Supreme Court ruling on the admissibility of polygraph evidence in federal court.” quote by Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/paul-ekman-11999_polygraph_there-has-never-been-a-supreme-court-rul_195703.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/paul-ekman-11999_polygraph_there-has-never-been-a-supreme-court-rul_195703.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/paul-ekman-11999_polygraph_there-has-never-been-a-supreme-court-rul_195703.jpg) > ““There has never been a Supreme Court ruling on the admissibility of polygraph evidence in federal court.”” [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Supreme Court has never ruled on whether polygraph tests can be admitted as evidence in federal trials, leaving the issue unsettled. **In simple terms:** No Supreme Court decision on polygraph evidence. Key Takeaway Recognize the uncertainty when using polygraph results in legal contexts. Themes law evidence psychology court uncertainty Mood cautious analytical Type legal informative When to use this quote - Criminal trials - civil litigation - employment screening - security clearances Key Concepts Legal precedent scientific validity rights procedural law Questions to Reflect On - How should lawyers handle polygraph evidence? - What standards could guide admissibility? A Different Perspective Polygraph reliability is contested, and courts may differ in state. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Polygraph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polygraph/) ## Related quotes > [“Remember that the polygraph test is not a lie detector. It only detects emotional arousal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/remember-that-the-polygraph-test-is-not-a-lie-detector-it-only/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“Webster’s Dictionary is correct that the polygraph is sometimes called the lie detector, but that is misleading. The polygraph doesn’t detect lies per se.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/webster-s-dictionary-is-correct-that-the-polygraph-is-sometimes/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“About half of the 4,700 McDonald’s fast food outlets, for example, give a polygraph test for preemployment screening.7”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/about-half-of-the-4-700-mcdonald-s-fast-food-outlets-for-example-give/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“After business, the next most frequent use of the polygraph test is as part of criminal investigations. It is not only used on criminal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/after-business-the-next-most-frequent-use-of-the-polygraph-test-is-as/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“federal government is the third largest user of the polygraph test to detect lying. In 1982 22,597 tests were reported by various federal agencies.\*…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/federal-government-is-the-third-largest-user-of-the-polygraph-test-to/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“President Reagan proposed further broadening the use of the polygraph test. All executive departments were authorized to “require employees to take a polygraph examination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/president-reagan-proposed-further-broadening-the-use-of-the-polygraph/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“Although it is illegal in eighteen states, to ask employees to take the polygraph test, employers reportedly can find ways around those laws.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/although-it-is-illegal-in-eighteen-states-to-ask-employees-to-take/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“Proof beyond a reasonable doubt = Katie Johnson's polygraph results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trump-is-a-child-rapist/proof-beyond-a-reasonable-doubt-katie-johnson-s-polygraph-results/) TRUMP is a CHILD RAPIST > [After reviewing the polygraph charts in private, the polygraph examiner told me that I had passed and that he believed I had nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hatfill/after-reviewing-the-polygraph-charts-in-private-the-polygraph/) [Steven Hatfill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hatfill/) > [Later, I went down to the Washington field office and an onsite polygraph was administered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hatfill/later-i-went-down-to-the-washington-field-office-and-an-onsite/) [Steven Hatfill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hatfill/) > [To become a Secret Service agent, applicants must pass a polygraph exam. But after being hired, agents are never required to undergo regular lie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-kessler/to-become-a-secret-service-agent-applicants-must-pass-a-polygraph/) [Ronald Kessler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-kessler/) > [“Google: An FBI polygraph test will get Captain Mark Richards released from prison”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trump-is-a-child-rapist/google-an-fbi-polygraph-test-will-get-captain-mark-richards-released/) TRUMP is a CHILD RAPIST > [“The polygrapher is not one’s friend even if he or she tries to convince one he or she is on one’s side. Outright deception!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-a-david/the-polygrapher-is-not-one-s-friend-even-if-he-or-she-tries-to/) [S. A. David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-a-david/) > [The U.S. is, so far as I know, the only nation which places such extensive reliance on the polygraph. It has gotten us into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-u-s-is-so-far-as-i-know-the-only-nation-which-places-such/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [My own view is that if you filled every member of the parliamentary Labour party with a truth drug and lashed them to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-dobson/my-own-view-is-that-if-you-filled-every-member-of-the-parliamentary/) [Frank Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-dobson/) ## More by Paul Ekman > [“he is afraid of being falsely accused. Worried that if he looks afraid people will think he is a liar, he may try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/he-is-afraid-of-being-falsely-accused-worried-that-if-he-looks-afraid/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“3. When the behavior changes occur in relation to a specific topic or question, that tells the lie catcher this could be a hot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/3-when-the-behavior-changes-occur-in-relation-to-a-specific-topic-or/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“For six weeks after the Normandy invasion the Germans persisted in their error, keeping many of their troops in readiness at Calais rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/for-six-weeks-after-the-normandy-invasion-the-germans-persisted-in/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“This distinction between believing-a-lie and disbelieving-the-truth is important because it forces attention to the twin dangers for the lie catcher. There is no way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/this-distinction-between-believing-a-lie-and-disbelieving-the-truth/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“Sometimes one is better off misled. The host may be better off thinking the guest enjoyed himself; the wife happier believing that she can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/sometimes-one-is-better-off-misled-the-host-may-be-better-off/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [No important relationship survives if trust is totally lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/no-important-relationship-survives-if-trust-is-totally-lost/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [Crucial to how we feel is being aware of how we are feeling in the moment. The sine qua non of that is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/crucial-to-how-we-feel-is-being-aware-of-how-we-are-feeling-in-the/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [Most liars can fool most people most of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/most-liars-can-fool-most-people-most-of-the-time/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“posture appropriate for a formal interview is not the posture assumed when talking with a friend. Posture seems well under control and successfully managed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/posture-appropriate-for-a-formal-interview-is-not-the-posture-assumed/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“Although it is illegal in eighteen states, to ask employees to take the polygraph test, employers reportedly can find ways around those laws.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/although-it-is-illegal-in-eighteen-states-to-ask-employees-to-take/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“The failure to remember is not a lie, although liars will often try to excuse their lies, once discovered, by claiming a memory failure.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/the-failure-to-remember-is-not-a-lie-although-liars-will-often-try-to/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“President Reagan proposed further broadening the use of the polygraph test. All executive departments were authorized to “require employees to take a polygraph examination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/president-reagan-proposed-further-broadening-the-use-of-the-polygraph/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“I don’t give a shit what happens, I want you to stonewall it, let them plead the Fifth Amendment, or anything else, if it’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/i-don-t-give-a-shit-what-happens-i-want-you-to-stonewall-it-let-them/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“The relevant framework is not one of morality but of survival. At every level, from brute camouflage to poetic vision, the linguistic capacity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/the-relevant-framework-is-not-one-of-morality-but-of-survival-at/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“Lying is such a central characteristic of life that better understanding of it is relevant to almost all human affairs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/lying-is-such-a-central-characteristic-of-life-that-better/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) [Explore all 57 Paul Ekman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) ## More Polygraph quotes > [My own view is that if you filled every member of the parliamentary Labour party with a truth drug and lashed them to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-dobson/my-own-view-is-that-if-you-filled-every-member-of-the-parliamentary/) [Frank Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-dobson/) > [The U.S. is, so far as I know, the only nation which places such extensive reliance on the polygraph. It has gotten us into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-u-s-is-so-far-as-i-know-the-only-nation-which-places-such/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [“The polygrapher is not one’s friend even if he or she tries to convince one he or she is on one’s side. Outright deception!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-a-david/the-polygrapher-is-not-one-s-friend-even-if-he-or-she-tries-to/) [S. A. David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-a-david/) > [“Google: An FBI polygraph test will get Captain Mark Richards released from prison”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trump-is-a-child-rapist/google-an-fbi-polygraph-test-will-get-captain-mark-richards-released/) TRUMP is a CHILD RAPIST > [To become a Secret Service agent, applicants must pass a polygraph exam. But after being hired, agents are never required to undergo regular lie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-kessler/to-become-a-secret-service-agent-applicants-must-pass-a-polygraph/) [Ronald Kessler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-kessler/) > [Later, I went down to the Washington field office and an onsite polygraph was administered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hatfill/later-i-went-down-to-the-washington-field-office-and-an-onsite/) [Steven Hatfill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hatfill/) > [“Although it is illegal in eighteen states, to ask employees to take the polygraph test, employers reportedly can find ways around those laws.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/although-it-is-illegal-in-eighteen-states-to-ask-employees-to-take/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [After reviewing the polygraph charts in private, the polygraph examiner told me that I had passed and that he believed I had nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hatfill/after-reviewing-the-polygraph-charts-in-private-the-polygraph/) [Steven Hatfill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hatfill/) > [“Proof beyond a reasonable doubt = Katie Johnson's polygraph results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trump-is-a-child-rapist/proof-beyond-a-reasonable-doubt-katie-johnson-s-polygraph-results/) TRUMP is a CHILD RAPIST > [“President Reagan proposed further broadening the use of the polygraph test. All executive departments were authorized to “require employees to take a polygraph examination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/president-reagan-proposed-further-broadening-the-use-of-the-polygraph/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [Later, I went down to the Washington field office and an onsite polygraph was administered. After reviewing the polygraph charts in private, the polygraph…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hatfill/later-i-went-down-to-the-washington-field-office-and-an-onsite-2/) [Steven Hatfill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hatfill/) > [The FBI, to its credit in a self-serving sort of way, rejects the routine use of the polygraph on its own people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-fbi-to-its-credit-in-a-self-serving-sort-of-way-rejects-the/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [I am not opposed to the limited use of polygraphs in a case where a person is suspected of wrongdoing. But widespread use of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bingaman/i-am-not-opposed-to-the-limited-use-of-polygraphs-in-a-case-where-a/) [Jeff Bingaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bingaman/) > [And they asked me to take a polygraph as to the allegations and reports I'd made. I volunteered and I took the polygraph and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sibel-edmonds/and-they-asked-me-to-take-a-polygraph-as-to-the-allegations-and/) [Sibel Edmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sibel-edmonds/) > [I'm not sure. I did not set it up. I have never done a polygraph test in my life. I didn't know what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-palmeiro/i-m-not-sure-i-did-not-set-it-up-i-have-never-done-a-polygraph-test/) [Rafael Palmeiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-palmeiro/) [Browse all 34 Polygraph quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polygraph/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There has never been a Supreme Court ruling on the admissibility of polygraph evidence in federal court.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Ekman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/there-has-never-been-a-supreme-court-ruling-on-the-admissibility-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Polygraph" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/there-has-never-been-a-supreme-court-ruling-on-the-admissibility-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/paul-ekman-11999_polygraph_there-has-never-been-a-supreme-court-rul_195703.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/paul-ekman-11999_polygraph_there-has-never-been-a-supreme-court-rul_195703.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/paul-ekman-11999_polygraph_there-has-never-been-a-supreme-court-rul_195703.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There has never been a Supreme Court ruling on the admissibility of polygraph evidence in federal court.” — Paul Ekman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paul Ekman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“There has never been a Supreme...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/there-has-never-been-a-supreme-court-ruling-on-the-admissibility-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/there-has-never-been-a-supreme-court-ruling-on-the-admissibility-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```