What kind of evidence does the Frye standard pertain to?

The Frye standard pertains specifically to evidence that requires general acceptance within the scientific community, making it the foundation for evaluating the admissibility of expert witness testimony based on scientific methods. Under this standard, any technique or principle must be widely recognized and accepted by relevant experts in the field where it originates. This ensures that the methods or tools presented in court are grounded in reliable and established science.

The emphasis on general acceptance is crucial, as it helps to establish a baseline for the scientific validity of evidence being introduced during legal proceedings. This principle arose from the Frye v. United States case, where the court ruled that the polygraph test was not admissible as evidence since it did not have general acceptance among experts.

In contrast, options that refer to testimonial, physical, or documentary evidence do not encompass the broader application of scientific methods that the Frye standard addresses. The focus of Frye is exclusively on scientific evidence and its acceptance within the scientific community, distinguishing it from other forms of evidence that do not require such a standard for admissibility.